Every once in a while I like to read a good children's book. Children's literature is important. Often times they are tremendously creative and full of valuable life lessons. I especially enjoy reading some of these stories to children of all ages (and I do mean all ages). Dr. Seuss has written some of my personal favorites when it comes to simple stories that convey great meaning; The Sneetches, Yertle the Turtle, What was I Scared of?, and many others. Seuss is widely known for his funny rhymes, odd characters, and strange new words, but one of my most cherished tales from the Dr. has none of these...well, maybe it has a few odd characters, but they are nothing so strange as the Whos or the Once-ler.
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is the story of a boy who finds himself in a dire predicament that is completely beyond his control. Or at least that is what one might conclude to be the purpose of the story. It is written in such a way that if one were not paying close attention he might pass it off as simply a clever story of an odd situation. When one delves deeper, however, he finds that there is really a very serious issue at stake, and what's more, the issue is never resolved--merely pacified.
One day young Bartholomew--a peasant between the ages of 9 and 14 I would guess--travels to the nearby town to sell some cranberries. Upon arriving in the town Bartholomew's entire day is disrupted when the king drives by in his carriage with his royal entourage. The king stops directly in front of the boy because Bartholomew--so it would seem--has not removed his hat out of respect for his majesty. Bartholomew does not understand the kings frustration for he has indeed removed his hat from his head and holds it in his hands. Unbeknownst to the boy, there is another hat--exactly like the first--upon his head. When the second hat is removed a third appears above the boy's brow. The king is infuriated and has Bartholomew hauled off to the palace to be dealt with.
It is a truly silly story told in the entertaining Dr. Seuss fashion as hat after hat after hat appears from under each previous hat. And of course the more hats that are removed the more frustrated the king becomes. He brings in the royal haberdasher, and the great wise men. He has the hats shot off with arrows and chanted away by magicians with black cats. The king even comes to a point where he decides the boy must be executed (a plan that could not be fully enacted because the executioner could not chop off any head that was covered by a hat).
So what is the real issue here? Many (including myself at one time) would think it is simply a clever story of a marvelous occurrence, and that the crux of the story is that Bartholomew could not take off his hat. None of that would have been a problem, however, if the king had not been--as many kings, noblemen, and people of high position often are--so proud. If only the king could have seen past his own ego to the fact that the boy did what he could to show his respect, it would have been a much shorter, and less interesting story. The king could not, however, see past the boy's hat.
I say that kings and others of high position have a tendency toward this kind of ego-centrism, but the fact of the matter is that I have a hard time seeing past the hats on the heads of other people. It doesn't take a kingdom to make a person proud. It doesn't take a position of authority to build an ego. All it takes is one thing, one little thing that I am good at. One little area in which I have shown aptitude and ability. One little thing that I have clear possession and control over. With that one little thing I can build in my mind an empire where in every other person ought to show their respect toward me.
Suddenly I begin to believe that for some reason I am actually something, and everyone else must recognize that something. If they do not recognize it, then they are fools--again setting myself higher and higher in my estimations of the world. Certainly, I might recognize greater authorities, but within my own fiefdom the peasants had better not get in my way or even look at me wrong, and they most definitely must remove their hats in my presence.
And so I must ask myself, what are the hats on other people's heads that I can't seem to look past? Who have I elevated myself above to the point of condemning the person? What little habit, or tick, or attitude, or idea, or belief, or image, or background of theirs seems to trigger the wrath (subtle though it may be) of my own ego? What makes me so much better than them?
And then I must consider, what hats do I wear that set a bur in the britches of others around me?
As I mentioned before, the real issue of the story is never resolved. Bartholomew only survives his encounter with the king because upon seeing the extravagance of the 500th and final hat the king is diverted from his intentions of defending his ego, but only so that he may build his ego further by acquiring this regal hat for himself. The king has learned nothing.
I do not want to be like king Derwin. I do not want my level of joy to be dictated by the little irritations of life. Paul says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself" (Phil. 2:3). This life is not about me. The more and more I try to promote myself, the more miserable I become. On the other hand, the more I tend to the needs and cares of others, the more joy I bring to those around me. What makes me so much better than them anyway? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
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