MINE

mine1

1.	a form of the possessive case of I used as a predicate adjective: The yellow sweater is mine.

2.	something that belongs to me: Mine is the red car.

"Mine". This word is the beginning of the end for civilization. I'm sure i am not casting any new light on this subject or making any great commentary that will change the world, but i will give my two cents.

My two year old daughter has firmly grasped the intensity and meaning of this word. She probably on average uses it close to 300 times a day. You would think that to be a gross exaggeration, but it is not. Everything she wants, is "mine". Everything she has, is "mine". Everything any one else has, is "mine". This word has empowered her so much that she even feels that it is a good idea to take the things that others have. Especially things from her one year old brother.

The chant of "mine, mine, mine, mine" is so great, that the one year old has already begun to give his version. "Mahn". Sure, there is a small piece of me holding hope that he is slightly Rastafarian, but i am realistic. He has begun to grab and snatch with as much vigor and envy as his older sister, and God forbid if they eye the same thing at the same time. A toddler battle ensues.

Screams, squawks, shoving, scratching, and the occasional biting. It is like a bugs bunny cartoon when they fight. Just a cloud of smoke with arms and legs flying. In some ways it is cute and at the same time horrific.

I'm sure that most would blame parents for the "mines", but i know that we work diligently not to support this point of view. Kids will be kids, and when they are exposed to other kids, they will find their "mines".

Unfortunately we carry this attitude to our adulthood. I believe that is what makes most of our life the struggle it is. We have to continually keep achieving our "mines". We are constantly on our quest for what is to be "mine". "Mine" can be the car, house, career, the last donut at caribou that the person in front of you takes, only to become someone else's "mine".

This "mine" is evil. If there was a way to dissolve the "mines" and develop a stronger "ours" we would be a lot better off. I'm not talking a bunch of hippie crap either (forgive me if i offend any hippie readers, but I'm sure your appreciating this anyway). If we could find a deeper side in ourselves to share our needs and give before taking, i believe we would find a lot more piece and tolerance in people and our lives.

So there it is. One to grow on.

I have to cut this short, i think the teen is eating the last ice cream cone sundae, and its MINE.