Finding Stories in the Rain: A Collection of Short Works of Fiction

By P. L. Jones

A rainy day is not necessarily a bad day! Just ask Maggie Lindenberg how a little bit of rain changed her entire life.

Maggie, Allison, Myra, and many other characters in Finding Stories In the Rain offer you a glimpse into the most memorable moments of their lives.

Share their unforgettable stories of adventure and romance in the rain!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9781467041898

P. L. Jones

The author wrote this memoir 51 years after the fact. Although it had always been her goal, somehow it never became a reality. Instead of shutting down with the COVID-19 lockdown, she opened up and wrote this book. She is now 71 years old and lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. This is her first book.

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© 2011 by Bernard J. Fleury, Ed. D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 11/11/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-8730-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-8729-4 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Note to Purchaser: For Kindle E-Book version go to Amazon.com

Contents

REVIEWS OF

WHAT IS MAN?

MALE AND FEMALE

LOOKING FOR MEANING AND DIRECTION

A GREAT SERVICE FOR RAISING AND EDUCATING CHILDREN

A VERY HELPFUL GUIDE ABOUT HOW TO DEFINE WHO WE ARE

UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES

BEING A HUMAN PERSON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

FOR TEACHERS

FOR PARENTS

FOR SOCIOLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS,

AND PSYCHIATRISTS

INTRODUCTION

BOOK ONE: BEFORE LIFE CAME

BOOK TWO: LIFE

BOOK THREE: THOUGHT

BOOK FOUR: SURVIVAL

CONCLUSION

EDUCATIONAL, PARENTING, AND

THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEILHARD de CHARDIN

ESSENTIAL POINTS ON WHAT IS MAN?

TEILHARD de CHARDIN

INTRODUCTION

SUMMARY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

MARTIN BUBER

ESSENTIAL POINTS ON WHAT IS MAN?

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON I-THOU, I-IT

DR. BERNARD J. FLEURY

MARTIN BUBER

BIBLIOGRAPHY

JOHN DEWEY

ESSENTIAL POINTS ON WHAT IS MAN?

JOHN DEWEY: QUESTIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

JEAN PAUL SARTRE

ESSENTIAL POINTS ON WHAT IS MAN

JEAN PAUL SARTRE:

QUESTIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

B. F. SKINNER

ESSENTIAL POINTS ON WHAT IS MAN

B.F. SKINNER

EDUCATIONAL/THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS

SUMMARY

To my wife and children

This book is affectionately dedicated.

REVIEWS OF

WHAT IS MAN?

MALE AND FEMALE

LOOKING FOR MEANING AND DIRECTION

The book, What Is Man?

Male and Female

aims to help educators, parents, and others in the helping professions come to their own insights into what and who is the modern human person. It appeals to the thinking and caring person who is looking for meaning and direction. The book synthesizes the works of five major thinkers whose theories, consciously or unconsciously, influence modern Western persons and systems.

Serious people want to know that life has a meaning and a direction and whether or not there is life after death. Studying these five varying approaches and using the reflective questions at the end of each Chapter and the extensive bibliographies, gives one the tools needed to further shape one’s own philosophy of life. Professor Fleury, Ed.D. has done a masterly piece of groundwork. He generously offers the results of his own life’s quest to those who are willing to make the effort to study his work to find meaning for themselves, others, and for our cultural-evolution.

Ruth McGoldrick, SP, MRE

Adult Educator and Spiritual Director

A GREAT SERVICE FOR RAISING AND EDUCATING CHILDREN

Dr. Fleury has done a great service for educators, parents, and all concerned with raising and educating children in today’s world. He has invited those so involved to perform that most elemental and human of efforts, namely, to reflect for themselves on what motivates them to journey with young people toward maturity. By sampling the thoughts of five men (de Chardin, Buber, Dewey, Sartre, and Skinner) each of whom in his own way has greatly influenced the pedagogical process, Dr. Fleury teases out both the similarities and dramatic differences which inform these schools of thought. Ranging from theories that are theological to atheistic and autonomous to deterministic, readers must ask themselves what moves them to enter the classroom, how they understand their role as teacher and that of the child, and what exactly it is that they hope to accomplish in the learning process beyond the growth of knowledge. In other words, why educate and to what end? In addition to offering an insight into each thinker, Dr. Fleury summarizes the man’s thoughts and then provocatively invites the reader to do his/her own necessary personal reflection on the strengths, weaknesses, similarities, and even the mutually enhancing elements of each school of thought.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Bondi, S.T.L., D. Min.

A VERY HELPFUL GUIDE ABOUT HOW TO DEFINE WHO WE ARE

In this engaging and challenging book, Dr. Bernard Fleury explores one of the most fundamental questions of human existence, what is man? This question has been probed throughout human history. The answer a person, community or nation gives to this question greatly determines the way that person, community or nation will live.

Dr. Fleury reviews the central themes of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Martin Buber, John Dewey, Jean Paul Sartre, and B.F. Skinner. His discussion on de Chardin’s Omega Point points to the goal for the person and the creation in God. His discussions on Buber, Dewey, and Skinner elaborate on the interpersonal and social nature of human development and learning. His review of the work of Sartre reminds us that every person must take responsibility for the person he or she is becoming. Dr. Fleury offers us the opportunity to reflect on those influences, internal and external, that shape who we are.

He points out the central features of each man’s view on the nature of man and what relation that can have on how a teacher can best help a student to learn and become the person they are meant to be. He makes clear that any person who wishes to truly engage in the enterprise of human growth and development, their own and that of others, must be concerned with the dynamic nature of human becoming. More than any other effective method for effective human development is the effectiveness of modeling for others what they need to learn to make a positive difference in the world and their lives. We are called to value each person, and by example, reveal what a real human being can be.

This book is a very helpful guide to illustrate the tensions in our culture about how to define who we are. It will prove helpful for those interested in understanding the human person not merely as a product of the interaction of the laws of physics and chemistry, but as a complex creature of many interdependent dimensions, personal, social, moral, psychological, and spiritual. Unless one attends to each of these dimensions a person cannot be a more fully realized human being!

Everything is at stake about what we finally decide about what it means to be us. Are we beings created in the image of God and destined for completion in God? Or, are we merely an absurd accident in the cosmos devoid of purpose and meaning? The answer to this question will have a great deal to do with whether or not the human race and planet earth continues to develop, or by some human folly and loss of faith in God and man, we pull down the curtain on the whole thing. I would like to assume the former. For the Christian, modeling the person of Jesus Christ is the way that a person becomes what they are meant to be—an expression of the unfathomable love of God for others.

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, M.A., D. Min.

Director of the Office of the Diaconate

Archdiocese of Hartford, Ct.

UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES

Whether we like it or not, whether we know it or not, we are all affected by someone’s philosophy. Because of this philosophy governments and agencies take a particular direction. As these philosophies change or develop they effectuate new insights. On these perceptions we make practical decisions. We determine a way of life. We try to become more aware of our surroundings. We seek to improve ourselves and our surroundings as much as we can. We move together individually and collectively. So it has been since the dawn of humankind. Life therefore changes, grows, and revitalizes itself. Since we commit so much of ourselves and our resources to education, would we not want to get from our efforts as much as we can? So we continually seek to formulate a philosophy of education. The more we understand ourselves, our needs and our aspirations, the more we can grow individually and as a race.

As a student of philosophy and of psychology for forty years, I continually seek to gain insight into the mind and the development of the minds of people. What make us tick? We are people and we are given the gift of perception. People are our greatest resource and our greatest asset.

Insights into ourselves and others provide us with opportunity to remain based in reality, to verify our perceptions and bring our efforts to fruition. Together we help each other move forward in dignity and respect. We not only improve our condition of life but our ideals as well.

Dr. Fleury’s book seeks to delve into the most intriguing and most crucial question of all. What is Man? Male and Female. With this age old question Dr. Fleury takes us on a delightful adventure into the mind of five of our prominent thinkers. He synthesizes their thoughts not only with clarity but presents them in practical and usable form. From the principles he presents we find immediate applications not only in the area of education but to our personal and more conscious growth. We also have the opportunity to see the results of these thoughts applied in practical and realistic settings. His down to earth examples provide us with insights as to just how our simplest thoughts have such far reaching results.

With perception comes awareness and with awareness come a more focused and deliberate intention. Along with the good and the potential we see in each other we can achieve heights not yet dreamed of. All because some people dare to think and to formulate a vision.

Rev. J. Donald R. Lapointe, BPh, S.T.L., M.Ed., LicSW

BEING A HUMAN PERSON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Dr. Bernard J Fleury’s book underscores the value of the liberal arts and the need for colleges and universities to support the humanities which explore the quintessential question: What does it mean to be a human person? Dr. Fleury’s introduces us to some original thinkers and philosophers who wrestled with this question from their particular world views. Educators, humanists, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, parents, and seekers of all walks of life will find themselves asking questions about the human person in light of some challenging topics: human evolution, interreligious dialogue, character formation, public education, belief and unbelief, freedom and human dignity, genetic technology, and human behavior. Dr. Fleury draws upon the works and wisdom of de Chardin, Buber, Dewey, Sartre, and Skinner and entices us to ask our own questions about the meaning of life and to reflect more profoundly on what it means to be a human person in the 21st century.

Fr. Warren J. Savage,

Lecturer, Religious Studies Department,

Our Lady of the Elms College, Chicopee, MA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to acknowledge the contributions made to this book by my University students and colleagues who used the 1988 edition for many years. This revised edition incorporates their comments and my own insights. I am especially indebted to my wife Ludmila who acted as my computer assistant for both the 1988 and this new 2011 revision of this book. I am also indebted to the 16,268 persons who rated the 1988 edition under Barnes and Noble.com Used Books Dealers. One thousand, five hundred ninety five rated it 4.6 and fourteen thousand, six hundred seventy three rated it 4.7 out of a possible 5.0!

PREFACE

This book, What is Man, grew out of a need for a single publication which contained under one cover, broadly representative views concerning the meaning of Man. The first edition of this book was used for the most part with fourth year undergraduate students, criminal justice and liberal arts majors in the Philosophy of Education course and also in the graduate course Social Cultural Theories, Foundations of Education.

In both of these courses Man is viewed as the focal point of education since he is the subject of education—what education is all about. The term Man is used generically throughout the first edition and in this new edition to refer to all humans, female and male, because this is the way the term is used in classical philosophy and in the writings of the five philosophers included in both the first and new revised editions to refer to all humankind, female and male.

This book focuses on the question What does it mean to be human? unlike other best sellers like John Grey’s Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex that focuses on what it means to be male or female as of year 2004.

The scope of What is Man? Male and Female has been broadened to include the interests of Parents in their parenting, Sociologists, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists as well as pre and in-service teachers and other education administration personnel. All of these professions have Man as their subject so it is critical to their practices how they view the human. Who or what is it that they are attempting to define, teach, or develop therapies for?

You will note that the resources used as endnote citations all predate 1987 and most predate 1975. That is because I used original sources written by the philosopher himself or a close colleague.

Books listed in the respective Philosopher’s Bibliography that were published after 1987 indicate how that Philosopher’s views on Man have been developed by others after the Philosopher’s lifetime.

Bernard J. Fleury, Ed.D.

Professor Emeritus of Education

Westfield State University

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INTRODUCTION

FOR TEACHERS

Mrs. Bronson hurried up the front steps of P.S. 109, opened the door just as the bell rang, and her sixth grade class came pouring down the hallway leading to Room 6B. She doffed her coat and then turned to face the class. What did she see?

Twenty-five faces masking conditioned reflexes? Twenty-five young bodies, each encompassing a collection of innate impulses to act? Twenty-five unique beings whose individual choices determine their uniqueness? or Twenty-five centers of consciousness with a common origin, a unique individual development, and a common destiny?

Nonsense! the reader may answer.

She saw twenty-five children, twenty-five immature human beings.

True, she saw twenty-five children or perhaps a class of children, a sea of faces in which no one face stood out in the group.

But Mrs. Bronson is faced with the task of teaching this group of children, the task of somehow changing these students or perhaps helping them change themselves so that when they leave her at the end of the day they are in some way different than they were when that first bell rang. This teacher has many decisions to make before she can begin her day’s work.

To begin with, she must decide what is her role as the teacher—what will she actually be doing when she teaches? Will she be the active cause in changing students directly or will she simply structure the classroom environment by setting up interest centers and then allowing students to choose one or more interest centers and proceed to change themselves? If, when she looked at those twenty-five faces, she saw twenty-five unique individuals whose primary human function was to choose, then at the very least she will allow students to work at whichever interest center they choose; in fact, she would probably also encourage students to engage in interest centers of their own making. If on the other hand, when she turned to her class she saw twenty-five centers of consciousness with a common origin, a unique individual development, and a common destiny, she would undoubtedly encourage individual choice among the learning centers she set up and encourage students to set up centers of their own; but she would also feel obligated to guide students to learning about their common origin and destiny should individual students not freely choose to learn these things on their own.

In the first example cited, individual choice determines worth and, therefore, the hierarchy of knowledge is individualistically based and not a universal. In the second example, while individual choice does affect the value of certain knowledge to each person, there is nonetheless, a hierarchy of knowledge, with some type of knowledge having universal value and therefore to be taught of necessity to all.

These two cases should be sufficient to impress upon the reader the importance to education of the search for an answer to the question What is Man? For the answer that one gives to this question effectively shapes the meaning one ascribes to the term Education. Man is the subject of education; he is what education is all about. It behooves the pre-service teacher as well as the in-service teacher to think deeply about this question and to formulate their answers, answers that will be the principles which will guide their behavior in the classroom.

The interpretations of the five major philosophers presented in this book represent the major views regarding the meaning to be attached to Man that undergird educational practice in the western world and in other areas of the world where the western model has been adopted. It is the author’s premise that all or nearly all of current western educational practice derives from one or more of these five philosophers’ views or some combination thereof. Therefore, at least a general understanding of each of these five philosophers’ views is essential if the pre-service teacher is to understand the assumption underlying the practices she is preparing to use and also to assist the neophyte as she searches for her personal answer to the question What is Man?

FOR PARENTS

The role of the parent is similar