Jiminy Cricket! And Jeremiah too!

I DID see Jiminy Cricket today. And a host of the Cricket family, all cuddled together under a large piece of wood. They were minding their own business, hiding from the scorching heat, and training their little "Jimineys". I hope they were training them to be the consciences of little boys, like the famed "Jiminy" was for Pinnochio. I fear, though, that THESE crickets may have needed emergency services after their discovery by MY boys!

Jiminy helped Pinnochio by being his conscience. He tried to teach him to be honest and make good choices and accept responsibility for what choices he did make. Sometimes he succeeded and sometimes he did not. But in the end, the Disney character had more successes than failures and Pinnochio achieved his dream of becoming a REAL boy. He could not successfully accomplish this without his "Jiminy".

I never before realized what a challenge lay before Jiminy Cricket, to make a REAL person out of a copy-cat puppety little creature. I can relate now to that challenge. Little boys are in need of some help in making choices. They need a conscience to remind them that REAL boys are men-to-be with character and wisdom and integrity. And choices are made every day. And it is never too young to learn to make good ones. They need guidance not to copy their friends or be manipulated by others, but to stand for what is right even when others do not.

Little boys by nature are explorers, destroyers, and builders all in one! They take things apart and sometimes get them back together again. They experiment with all kinds of liquids and powders. They make piles of sticks, branches, cans, rocks, blocks, nests, pots, and whatever is within their reaches, to make forts and houses and hideouts. They scare crickets and lizards and flies and bullfrogs too. (Hop, Jeremiah, hop!) They catch such critters and then release them while screaming that the "monster" they captured got away and thus the quest and the noise must continue...

And then they look up with their big innocent eyes, glance at one another, and giggle, in hopes that their "Prince Charming" approach will lessen the impact of the messes they have created. And sometimes it works. Sometimes I recognize that little cricket on their shoulder and know that they have listened in spite of their adventures. And I know that sometimes I AM that little cricket leaning on their shoulders. But I know that it will be worth it as I see REAL boys becoming REAL men with clear consciences and good choices more often than not. In the meantime, I smile and remember Jiminy's patience and understanding. And I know I am glad I am not a REAL cricket under that board today!