When I was a young girl, I attended Catholic school. You would think I’d have heard more Latin than “quid pro quo”, but no. Sadly, I went to Catholic school well after Vatican II. (I’m sure it’s surprising to some of you that I wasn’t actually around when Latin was a living language. HA!) Anyway, I could have taken courses in Latin during my time at Catholic school, but I opted instead for French and Spanish. Silly me, thinking languages that are actually in use would be more helpful than a dead language. But I’m definitely digressing here.
Anyway, one phrase I learned was “quid pro quo”. Translated, it means “that for this” or “this for that” or “something for something”. (Well, that’s what Mr. Budke, the Latin teacher at my afore-mentioned Catholic school said.) I think it’s a phrase many of us know, and it’s a phrase that I’ve used when making a lot of decisions. It’s definitely a phrase my kids know and understand. Now we’re getting to the point. (Twice in a row with pointed posts? I am on a roll here, people.)
I debate constantly whether or not this idea is appropriate for me to teach to my children. Oh, sure, it’s practical. In our society, quid pro quo is the standard. You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours. But where does quid pro quo fit into the teachings of the Gita? Where does quid pro quo fit into the idea of selfless service? Where does quid pro quo fit into the idea of devotion to God? Oh, I can give them a list of reasons why service to others is ultimately beneficial to them in terms of karmic debt, warm&fuzzy feelings about oneself, etc.
But.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that whatever we do, we do well but without attachment to the outcome. Basically, whatever you’re doing, you’re doing your best because that is service to God. Doing well at your job is done simply for the sake of a job well done, not for the sake of a promotion or more money or whatever. The Gita tells us that when we achieve this ability to do something and do it well simply for the sake of fulfilling our dharma, we become free of the karmic cycle. We are no longer accruing karma; we are merely working out the karma we have already acquired. That’s deep, isn’t it?
So. Where does quid pro quo fit in there? It doesn’t. So how do I teach them this lesson while also teaching them to live in a world that is clamoring, “quid pro quo”? You tell me, and we’ll both know, my friends. And hey, if you figure this out, could you tell me how to unlearn the quid pro quo thing?
Tags: Hinduism · kids · parenting · quid pro quo · random · religionComments
