DISCIPLINE

Not I. No way. Remember, I am the rebel. I march to my own tune. I am, actually an anarchist, but even so, I march to my own tune. I don't like much of what goes on in the name of anarchy, because I am an active pacifist as well. But discipline?

I have been, at times, extremely disciplined. And the cause of the discipline was love. In the course of my life I have become a disciple...under a teacher. Real discipline can not come from fear or threats or anger. Watch the many movies wherein a teacher becomes great by expecting greatness from her students, respecting them with all their foibles, and raising them up to levels of accomplishment no one thought could be attained.

This course of action might start off shakily. Initially both teacher and student are give each other the once over. This is true also with priests, ministers, gurus, trainers. We check them out. Does the tone they sound ring true? Will they stay the course? Who's interest do they have at heart? Do they have something to teach us?

I am talking about 'relationship'. I am talking about 'love' in very wide terms.

One winter in Temple, New Hampshire, pop. 641, between Christmas and Town Meeting (two of the best entertainments in the woods of NH)  my friend S. and I were looking for a big activity. She remembered that there used to be a drama club in town. I had found an original play written by Fritz Day (one of the founders of the Province Town Playhouse in New York) his play was called "Temple is Our Town".

We read the script and couldn't believe that it used to be produced. It had a band, a chorus, horses and stage coach, tons of costumes, cast of hundreds, people suspended by wires falling out of the sky. Our Town had had a huge burst of popularity in the 1800's when lithium springs were found and people came in droves from Boston to take the waters. No matter that the farmer who prospered from this tourism put the lithium salts in his pond. All in good fun.

We decided that Fritz's play was too ambitious. We went to the bank and discovered that the long dormant drama club had some substantial funds that had been sitting for years. Also upstairs in the church attic we found costumes and props. We decided we had to do a play. We chose "You Can't Take it With You" because it was funny and had a huge number of parts. Actually S. chose it.

I decided that I would be the producer and the director. I had never done either, but it was a long dark winter. I needed the challenge. S. took her favorite part. We "rented' the Town Hall. This meant that we hired the guy who came five hours before a rehearsal to start the wood stove. -20 degrees was pretty much average for that time of year, so this was crucial.  Then we set about casting. This mainly consisted of drinking coffee at the Temple Inn and handing out scripts to whomever would take one.

We had the lawyers, the judge, the farmers, the gardeners, the moms, the fire and rescue people, some kids. As the director, I quickly figured out that they all had more experience than I did. I told them to take the part they thought they would do the best at. It quickly sorted itself out. I couldn't believe the choices! How people pictured themselves.

So, as we began to rehearse, I was swept away by how they all figured things out and kind of competed to make the most of their roles. And then others drifted in and started on the sets and costumes, and I just mostly enjoyed myself and told them how great they were and they just kept doing better.

When the show finally went on, we had not just overflowing standing room, but people out in the snow and down the walk way and we had to do extra shows. I was greatly acclaimed as a fabulous director. I learned a lot that winter. I learned how when people are given freedom and recognition, they reach much further than they might have. I learned that many good minds can do so much more than one.

I suppose that sounds different from a teacher facing a hostile class or a new employee starting under a new boss. But I think there is a principle that works for anyone in authority: Expect the best, give your best, respect and utilize that talents each has and then you have a loving relationship. You get your disciples and 'discipline' ceases to be an issue.