The Wizdom of Oz

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” the Wizard of Oz frantically commanded.

The wizard didn’t want anyone to know who he really was, that he was not as grand and powerful as he appeared. Sounds normal, maybe a bit more theatrically overblown, but a normal mode of operating.

We all do it, and we don’t think twice about. It’s called keeping up appearances. Is it wrong? Not really. But, like most things, it’s a matter of degree.

We live in a critical world where sometimes people actively look for flaws in others. It is not a nice thing, yet it is part of our reality. The nadir of critical comes in the form of the “social X-ray,” those scary, intimidating people who try to see right through your protective curtain to discover your imperfections. Enter the Wicked Witch who abuses the insecurities of Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion.

Do you like to be criticized? Nope. But we are all imperfect humans, so what can we do? We pull the curtain in front of us. The curtain is a dern good protection in some situations, like with Wicked Witches.

The problem with curtains is that we can get so accustomed to the protection that we forget to pull it back when we don’t need the protection. If we stop pulling it back altogether, we might start to think that a wall would really be a better protection. Now no one gets to see the real you. Doesn’t sound good.

I realize that, as a parent, I can have a major influence on whether my kids learn how to use their curtains in a health manner. The solution is love, uncritical love. I can show my children that it is safe to pull back the curtain and be loved for their true selves. It’s not always easy to do, but the rewards are great.

Kids aren’t born with curtains, they construct them over time. Let’s help them know when to close them and when to open them.