01/06/04’s illustrious band:

Only an Egg

Brought to you by Robert Heinlein again.

This time I’m quoting from Stranger in a Strange Land, which I reread over the holidays. If you can get past the preachy editorializing to the characters and action of the book, it’s pretty good. It’s about a human being, Valentine Michael Smith, who was born on Mars and raised by Martians, then returned to Earth as an adult to learn the ways of humanity.

Smith is a complete novice at being a human being, what his Martian brethren call “only an egg,” or just a child. He’s a tabula rasa, what Taoists call an uncarved block of wood, or, as Winnie the Pooh describes himself, “a bear of little brain.” He possesses that most desired state of consciousness, the beginner mind, empty of assumptions and prejudices. Having never learned otherwise, he’s free to see the best in people, as well as in himself.

It’s good to enter a new year as only an egg, I think. Start fresh and take things as they come. My friend Magic gave a speech about this very thing last weekend, saying in essence that if you can clear your mind of preconceived notions, you’ll find a lot more -- of everything -- available to you than you thought. And if you think of yourself as a student, a learner, all your life, your opportunities are endless.

So that’s my challenge to all you good eggs as we kick off 2004: Get in touch with your inner Mr. Clean and see what you can see.

Editorial note: Being a bear of little brain myself, I loaned my Pride and Prejudice DVD set to somebody a few months ago, but I can’t remember who. If you have it, please let me know so I can quit maundering about it. Thanks.

Today around the world: January 6 marks the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day in Christian communities. It’s also Children’s Day in Uruguay -- a perfect day for being only an egg.

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