A Skill to Develop

It was called the BEST exam, for Basic Essential Skills Test. Eighth grade teachers designed lessons with real-world applications. Alas. Experts deemed it necessary to ‘improve’ the hands-on approach in record time and it disappeared from curriculums.

One skill always emphasized - before, during and after that short-lived BEST approach - was following instructions, both oral and written. For me it seemed the easiest to practice and test, with many avenues for creative fun, but the results were consistently worrisome and remained so for the span of my career.

Far too many times I made the same declaration to the inevitable “Why do we have to do these silly exercises?” My pat response was “Because one of these days you may be preparing my food order, or filling a prescription, fixing my car or taking care of me when I’m old. I’d feel better if you exhibit the ability to follow directions now.” Students would groan and chuckle. My real worries, though, pertained to THEIR safety, security and success that had little to do with Shakespearean sonnets, short stories by Poe or subject/verb agreement.

Now I AM old. Almost all who contribute to my well-being are not. With each year that passes I know less and less about more and more. That’s unsettling. I have Google and Siri and a phone that alerts me to all sorts of things, but I don’t matter to technology.

We’ve heard, “It’s just a job. It pays the bills.” That doesn’t apply these days. Humans - performing tasks that contribute in any way to daily life - matter. To those who keep us alive and healthy, to those who maintain the status quo and to the others who enhance our experiences on the planet - you all matter. Thank you, and please keep following those instructions that also matter.