Happy Tears

As a woman entering my late twenties (my goodness...time flies), the idea of having a child looms large. Above all other questions--when? how many? how much?--is the bleeding-heart's catch-22: Do I want to bring a child in to this world? On one hand, I believe I and my partner would raise a thoughtful, good human being who would be a steward to this world. On the other...war, famine, "peak oil", antibiotic-resistant infections, trans-fats, Tila Tequila, Paris Hilton, biological warfare...

That list doesn't stop for a while. But then I heard the below edition of "This I Believe" on KUOW. If a 7 year-old boy in Texas can embody all the peace and calm of a Bodhisattva, of Christ, of the best of everything the civilizations of the ages have had to offer... The opportunity to bring more compassion in to this world, compassion of this caliber and depth--it outweighs that seemingly endless list of evils. And perhaps on just reading this list, the more skeptical of you might think that he is parroting, that he is only mirroring the values of his family. While I don't doubt that he does mirror these values, he is more like a prism, brightening, delineating and broadening those values through his actions. Listen to the podcast and hear it in Tarak's own words if you want to be convinced. It is transcendant.

Thirty Things I Believe

by Tarak McLain

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Seven-year-old Tarak McLain was born in Thailand and lives with his family in Austin, Texas. He collects and hands out food to the homeless and raises money for orphans and impoverished schools. He reads about the world's religions and listens to public radio.

“I believe it's OK to die but not to kill ... I believe war should stop. I believe we can make peace.”

Tarak says he believes in helping the poor. He raises money by organizing yard sales.

Tarak says that he believes in nature and that people should go outside more.

"I believe that when I meditate I feel peaceful," McLain says.

Weekend Edition Sunday, January 18, 2009 ·

I believe life is good.

I believe God is in everything.

I believe we're all equal.

I believe we can help people.

I believe everyone is weird in their own way.

I believe hate is a cause for love.

I believe that when I meditate I feel peaceful.

I believe we should be generous.

I believe brothers and sisters should be kind to each other.

I believe kids should respect their parents.

I believe I should not whine.

I believe people should wake up early.

I believe people should go outside more.

I believe in nature.

I believe people should use less trees.

I believe we should help the Arctic and rainforest animals.

I believe people shouldn't throw litter on the ground.

I believe people should not smoke.

I believe God is in good and bad.

I believe in magic.

I believe people should not give up.

I believe love is everywhere.

I believe that God helps us to have a good time.

I believe we live best in a community.

I believe we can protect people in danger.

I believe we should help the poor.

I believe it's OK to die but not to kill.

I believe war should not have started.

I believe war should stop.

I believe we can make peace.

Independently produced for Weekend Edition Sunday by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.