Article September 4, 2000 ISSUE

It does matter!

Indifference isn't productive.

BY Elaine R. Follis

Children are rarely indifferent about anything. They express love freely and show their dislike just as openly. Youthful idealism and love are proverbial, but once hurt, individuals may choose to lock away their heart, resolving never again to allow themselves to care and thus become vulnerable. Instead of offering protection, however, this kind of indifference is more likely to imprison one in a life that's joyless and unsatisfying.

It's vital to resist feeling indifferent about the choices we need to make. Some of these decisions may on the surface seem unimportant—what movie to see, what flavor of ice cream to order, what chore to tackle first. "Oh, it doesn't matter; I don't care," we may think. But we do need to care, even about such simple choices, because habitually not caring can turn into all-around carelessness or indifference.

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