ADVERTISEMENT AN OPEN CHALLENGE, Go Beyond the Golden Rule The poet Robert Burns wrote, “O wad some Power the giftie gie us to see oursels as ithers see us,” but I believe there is a greater power. It is a greater power to be able to see others as they see themselves. You may aspire to follow the Golden Rule and “do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” It is a worthy goal, but one that assumes what is best for you will also be best for others. May I suggest another approach? When I was fortunate to be a Judge and preside over probate cases, I had to remind myself that the applicants probating the estates of their loved ones needed far more understanding in court than an attorney like me who expected only professionalism from the Judge. They needed to know that the Judge cared about them and understood that their case was for them all about the beloved person they had lost. It would not have been enough for me to be merely professional to those grieving widows and surviving children. I needed to consider the pain of their loss in order to treat them as they deserved to be treated. Consider - as a young person observing elderly people walking and talking with difficulty, whether you should not see beyond their present appearance. They were GIANTS once, who fought wars, raised families, and made our world possible. They may be lesser giants now encumbered by age and infirmity, but with their present limitations they need assistance provided with all the dignity of the stature they have earned. Remember, we all stand on their shoulders.
Consider - when you are a person with full mobility and see a person in a wheelchair, you should think about a world of impassable curbs, unclimbable steps, and rainy days that leave a person in a wheelchair soaked before being able to get out of the car and go inside. If you can consider all of those things, then it is not hard to understand why ramps and handicap parking places near front doors are so important. Consider - when you are stopped at a red light next to a turn lane, the person in the car behind you may need to turn but cannot because of you. Your trip may be unhurried, but that person behind you may be late for something important. If you pull forward only a few feet, you may allow that person to get into the turning lane and not need to wait with you for the light to change. In moving only a few feet, you made the day easier for someone else. Consider it; you made life better with just one small effort to be considerate. Consider in sum - that if you walk in the shoes of others, you will see the world as they see it and feel the burdens that they must carry. Consideration is a skill that does not require brilliance or talent, but it requires effort. I hope that you take the challenge to go beyond the Golden Rule, for a life lived without considering others - is a life less lived. Live more than for yourself and you will make the world a better place. And so I believe, Jerry D. Parr
If someone has not gone beyond the Golden Rule in dealing with you and you need legal advice, please remember that it is free to TWU students. You can use the Legal Services link on the Student Life Homepage to find out more.