May 2010
Life can be full of problems, which may be as simple as a small child attempting to fit a shape in the required hole in an early years puzzle;
as complex as the question of who is to govern a country following an election;
as frustrating as trying to catch a flight home when airspace and airports are closed due to volcanic eruption.
How we go about solving those problems varies enormously. Young children (and sometimes those much older) may attempt to make things fit by simply bashing the shape or situation into submission or by hurling it into space regardless of what or whom may be in the way. Politicians may spend hours in discussion before, or so it may seem, making decisions for self and their own glory rather than attempting to provide a better life, country or world for the rest of us. Those trying to catch a flight home, or those who feel that they are drowning in day to day problems, may either throw a tantrum to no avail; sit back and do nothing and continue to drown; or calmly address possibilities.
In any given week at Little Dragons many of the above aspects of problem solving are to be observed. When something doesn’t fit quite as it should, when Mum or Nan says, ‘No!’ or when for some unexplained reason the moment doesn’t pan out exactly to our little person’s desire, then we may view examples of bashing, hurling, heated discussion (not necessarily in a known tongue), tantrums, crying, calm disregard or equally calm, quiet concentration on the task in hand. At this level the small entity of human determination is merely passing through stages and phases which, one hopes, will eventually level out into a reasonable person. At least this is what one would wish for.
At times it would seem that some apparently normal human beings cease to develop in their ability to solve problems which may affect the fulfilment of their own desires. It is interesting to observe human nature when beings do not succeed in getting their own way. In seemingly mature adults one can, at times, observe the bashing or hurling seen in the very young and immature.
What do you do?
Val Butterworth