To All The "Know-It-Alls" - You Know Who You Are

I can write this with full knowledge that someone out there (probably someone I know) will be offended.  I know this because, as they say, "I are one of them there thangs!"

How I came to be.

When I was a child of 5 or 6, I knew that I had to be a quick study.  There was nothing worse in my home than a wrong answer even if the question asked had no right or wrong answer.  Then there were those questions that had NO right answer.

The questions that had no right answer were the ones like, 'DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID?"  If I was dumb enough or simply not paying attention and said, "yes" there would be a steep payment. That one I learned pretty quick that I had to be paying attention and the correct answer was always, "No, ma'am!" The emphasis had to be on the "ma'am" and not the "No" or it was considered a "smart remark" which had its own punishment.

"ARE YOU STUPID OR WHAT?!" was a tricky one.  It could be followed by, "I DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO BE STUPID!" so I had to wait to answer.  I couldn't wait too long or that was another cause for punishment.  Sometimes I felt pretty stupid or she wouldn't be asking me dumb questions.  Not something I said out loud. 

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" and "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" were often paired and unless there was a mirror, I never knew how I was looking at her.  When I didn't know how to look, I would try looking blankly into space or down at the floor or even concentrate on a speck on something in the room. That meant I wasn't "listening" and many times I got caught up in my own fantasy world and really wasn't paying attention. That stinging slap or the pain of the belt brought me back to reality.

To a child of 6 with that kind of logic bouncing around, it became apparent that adults were actually fairly stupid, mainly illogical and not something to aspire to. The end result was that I buried myself in books - all kinds of books. By the time I was 12, I had read every science and science fiction book in the library.  I read science fiction to escape and science to find out how.

I remember lying on the grass peering into the stars wondering when my "real parents" were finally going to come back to get me.  I was not related to these earthlings!  I couldn't possibly be. They were illogical and mean and none of it made sense unless I was no part of their genetic pool.  I dreamed of the time when the spaceship would land and they (my real parents) would hug me and be so glad to see me.

Obviously that day never came as I am still here and I have become one of those dreadful things - an adult.  I lost the innocence and logic of childhood and became what I despised most - one of "THEM."  What I find fascinating in this modern world of ours is that children are becoming adults far too soon.  My journey into the world of no logic and cruelty came in my 20's while many of the children ages 12 and up are venturing into the land of illogical cruelty much sooner.  I see the signs of stupidity beginning to flourish in the 14 and 15 year olds as they become sexually aware creatures. They give themselves away like over-ripe fruit falling from a tree only to lie upon the ground to rot.  They lose themselves early and master the art of cruelty and lose the logic of children.

Ah, but I am off on a rabbit trail.

When school grades are brought home and A's and B's are not good enough.  The paintings and drawings are never good enough.  The choices made are never quite right. Dressing for school becomes a dreaded chore.  The way hair is combed or brushed is never quite right.  You become increasingly aware that having the "right" answer is paramount.  You never say anything unless you are certain that what you say will be correct.  Eventually, you get a reputation as a "know-it-all" which is incorrect because you really only know what you have just said. You really don't know it ALL nor did you ever think you did.

Reputation is what people think about you and you will rarely change anyone's mind once they believe they have the "truth" about you.  So ignore the ignorance and move forward.  You learned early in life to dissect every response and come up with the most accurate and acceptable.  It becomes second nature and you think no more about what to say than you do about wiping your behind or breathing.  You know that if you are not absolutely certain about the answer, you will say nothing.

Someone may seem to know it all, but it may only be your perception of them and not the reality.

Oh, I really don't know who you are.

Shalom.  Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.