A Golden Notion

The Casey household is by no means anarchic. Nor has it ever been.

That being said, the law of the land was never posted at the front door. It\’s been some time since I\’ve checked, but I\’m quite sure there are no guards at the door either.

In fact, most Casey legislation centered around one very simple rule.

As Socrates said, \”One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter how one has been mistreated by him.\” Or, as it was said around home, \”Treat others the way you want to be treated.\”

Very simple indeed.

It\’s known as the Golden Rule, and versions of it are found in most religions and societies throughout history. In short, it\’s one of the very few things mankind has agreed on all along.

And still it seems that people have forgotten about the Golden Rule.

As the holiday of thanks approaches, the State College community needs to take a step back and examine how people have treated other people. Do they seem thankful for one another?

Take Russell Frank\’s \”Woo People,\” for instance. Yes, most residents knew what they were getting into when they moved into the fraternity district of State College, but is holding off on noisy parties until the weekend too much for those in the greek community?

And how about Penn State athletes? Mike the Mailman suggested a few columns ago that every Penn Stater take some time to attend sports that are not coached by Joe Paterno. The women\’s volleyball team is one of the most dominant teams in college sports; the Icers have the most entertaining games (IMHO). Yet many students, staff members and local residents would rather gripe about the team\’s performance this season than turn to another sport.

As much entertainment can be found taking advantage of the university\’s arts events as well, but I have yet to see anyone camp out for tickets to No Refund Theatre.

In the meantime, as Jay Paterno has told us, the State College Food Bank is helping 2,000 people in the area each year. And how many people have passed up on an afternoon in front of the TV to lend the food bank a helping hand?

It\’s human nature to want to be noticed and to be part of a community. As per the Golden Rule, one should not only help out where it\’s obvious, but should also help other feel like part of the community.

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year\’s Day is a pleasant time. For the most part, people forget to be selfish and are preoccupied with seeing friends and family so frequently. They also tend to do more good.

So as Thanksgiving passes and the end of 2009 approaches, take some time to recognize not only that which you are thankful for, that that which you should be.

Take some time in the remainder of the year to treat someone else the way you want to be treated. Cheer on an under-recognized Nittany Lions team; stand and applaud at the end of a student show, be it a musical or theatrical performance; be kind to your neighbors (you never know if they might end up writing about you on StateCollege.com).

The beautiful thing about the Golden Rule is how likely it is to turn back in your favor. So, if for no other reason, treat others well so that they will return the favor.

Or just because Mama Casey said so.