I Don't Understand

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"Character is higher than intellect." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't understand most things - and as I get older it seems that I understand even less. I realized long ago that I'm a pretty simple guy. Smart people have confirmed it over the years with the number of times they've said "You Don't Understand". They're right ~ I don't understand.

I don't understand why smart people take drugs. I don't understand why smart people don't respect soldiers. I don't understand why smart people say America is bad and then choose to stay here. I don't understand why smart people talk about rights but not about responsibilities. I don't understand why smart people have to ridicule faith. I don't understand why smart people can't see that passion, emotion and belief will always beat intellect. I don't understand why smart people think they're so smart but can't speak another language.

I don't understand why smart salespeople don't listen. I don't understand why smart people think working hard is not smart. I don't understand why smart people say ethics can be "situational". I don't understand when smart people talk about gray areas. I don't understand why honor, loyalty and duty are words that smart people make fun of. I don't understand why smart people coddle their children instead of challenging them. I don't understand why smart people blame. I don't understand why smart people give up. I don't understand why smart people can't take care of themselves in a fight.

I don't understand why those younger than eight and older than eighty are smarter than those of us in between. I don't understand how smart people can't see that dogs are smarter than us. I don't understand why smart people don't get that some people take pleasure in hurting others and we don't need to understand them. I don't understand the evil of September 11th. I don't want to. I don't understand any of these things and they make me sad. This simple guy isn't convinced that understanding them will make him any smarter. He's not convinced that understanding will make him a better person or stop these things.

You know what he does understand? - What little he understands.