Recently I stumbled across a children’s book entitled, Is There Really a Human Race? I was immediately intrigued. Written by Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrated by Laura Cornell, the book looks at the meaning and purpose of life from the perspective of a race. Questions abound.
“Is there really a human race? When did it start?”
“Who says, ‘Ready, set, go?’ What’s the race like, are there rules; is it fair?”
“Do some win and some lose? What keeps the world going?”
“If I get off track when I take the wrong turn, do I make my way back from mistakes? Why do I do it?”
Like most books for children, the story does not end with the questions, but answers.
“If we don’t help each other, we’re all going to crash.”
“Shouldn’t it be that you just try your best? And that’s more important than beating the rest?”
“Shouldn’t it be looking back at the end you judge your own race by the help that you lend?”
“So take what’s inside you and make big, bold choices. And for those who can’t speak for themselves, use bold voices.”
“And make friends and love well, bring art to this place. And make this world better for the whole human race.”
This sounds pretty good, right? If we all thought of the other person and became artistic this world would be a better place. While I fully agree that we need to make friends, love well, and have the courage to do the right thing, there are many assumptions in this book that deserve our attention.
Penny of a Thought 