Back in the fall of 2016, ten years ago, my kids were studying the Ten Commandments at Hebrew School. As part of the lesson, they were then asked to come up with some commandments of their own.
Ten years later, I still love them.
My daughter’s commandments are beautiful. Much better than the Bible’s Ten Commandments, which waste the first three commandments on God’s obsession with being the best and only God and forbid adultery (#7) but say nothing about rape, child abuse, assault, or slavery.
Also, there’s the commandment that orders Sundays be kept holy (#4), which almost everyone in America ignores and is especially ridiculous during football season.
Here are Clara’s commandments. Nine in all.
- Have fun!
- Let me tuck and kiss my brother at night.
- Eat good food.
- Have friends!
- Have a good education.
- Get good helf care. (healthcare)
- Do not bother me when the door is closed (except at night).
- Be kind, respectful, and responsible every day.
- Let me have flowers in my room.
Charlie’s commandments were fewer in number and much more like the commandments that his father would write.
- Do not die.
- Love.
They also kind of say it all. At least for me. And brevity is the soul of wit. Right?
