Didn't you?. Review on All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten - Robert Fulghum

The first thing which caught my interest was the title...even if I wasnt overly fond of Fulghum, the mouthful of a name and curiousity about the content would have me hooked. I read this book 3 times in the last two weeks, in various stages of maturity (??) and expressions:

Stage one - the surprised one : 1 1/2 hr, started off with a 'lets see'...went on to a surprised 'hey' and finally to 'woow this is true' and to 'would you believe, I never understood this in nursery school'

Stage two - the wise one (interspersed with serious nods): 45mns, alternated between a 'pondering hmmm' and a philosophical 'yesss ..this is exactly what happens'...' exactly, I agree'

Stage three - the experienced one: 30 mns, had this silly smile on my face throughout and couldnt believe why I had never thought of what all Fulghum says in the book...laughed with Fulghum and empathised with him in his 'episodes'

Simplicity is sublime and this book epitomises it The language is easy, the flow is smooth and the underlying message so beautifully intense and yet subtle that you can't help but marvel at the thought process of Fulghum and applaud his writing.

'But whats it all about??'...you may ask..errr...I am sure you are asking...To put it very simply,(sounding like a broken record...simple, simpler, simplest...) the book talks about the simple things and lessons one was taught in Kindergarten or Nursery school and how applicable these are to everyday adult life. Sounds heavy...Naah!!!

Lemme give you an example(megha's way..hehehe) : one of the first things we were taught in nursery school was to 'share things' with others. Well??? how often do we practice it right now? when we were kids, we used to share our colour pencils, our tiffin boxes - gleefuly and with childish innocence and trust. What happened as we grew up? Can you imagine a world where everyone is willing to share things with each other?? Think of living in a society where you know that you won't be in a problem if you run out of something or need something urgently as your neighbours and acquaintances are willing to help you out??

This and many more extremely obvious yet never absorbed lessons were taught to us and it is these that Fulghum talks about so beautifully, giving us examples of incidents in his life - both humourous and somber, simple (yup I managed it again) yet written with an urgency for understanding.

The book is really short - not even hundred pages, spaced into small chapters of 4-5 pages each and wont take you long to finish. But its a book which you will be amazed at and would love to share what you read with others.

I guess I'll end with one of my favourite lessons and my take on it...' Before crossing the road, always look to the right, then to the left and then finally to the right again and only then cross the road.' Wont it be beautiful if we dwelled upon our actions or our decisions in such a way? Why cant we think about the possible consequences and the safety of our intended decisions and actions before jumping into them. And wont it be beautiful, if like in nursery, we have someone to hold our hand as we cross the road - knowing that there are two of us who will make sure that the other is safe even if one blunders???.......I wish!!!!!!!

and the quote of the book ' always do your own dirty work...especially the laundry!!!'