Mindyburg Park

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Mindyburg Paradise Park

A parable

©Michael Krigline, MA (July 2007)    www.krigline.com

Click here for a discussion version of this story (especially for English-learners)

Mr. Ian Goode was a wealthy young man who owned a valuable tract of land near the center of Mindyburg. He lived in a different place, so he decided to dedicate this property to the enjoyment of Mindyburg’s residents. Mr. Goode hired a team to create and construct a beautiful park on about a third of the land, around a refreshing spring. Citizens could drink the cool water, and children could play in a water-playground he also constructed. There were many shady trees, a large green lawn, benches, a playground, a big sandbox, and everything else you could hope for in a small park. He left the rest of the property undeveloped, and hoped that his example would stir the local people who enjoyed the park to add to it as their resources allowed.

Mr. Goode also hired a local law firm to draw up some basic rules for the property. First, while structures could be built on the property, they must be used for the good of the people. Second, the property was to remain mostly “green space,” not primarily buildings. Third, there was never to be any charge for admission or anything else used or distributed on the property. Everything could be enjoyed by rich and poor alike, so long as they were wearing a button that said “Have a Goode Day!” These buttons would always be available for free from the law firm. Fourth, although he expected the local citizens and businesses to voluntarily provide for the park’s upkeep, Mr. Goode told the law firm that if his financial help was ever truly needed they just needed to inform him in writing. Fifth, while he didn’t expect any return on his investment and didn’t intend to oversee every change made in coming years, he retained the rights to the property, including the indisputable right to empower his local law firm to enforce these basic rules. The rules were posted in several places within the park, and also in a mini-garden outside the park’s only entrance. Written copies were also available from the law firm upon request.

The townspeople were thrilled about this man’s generosity, and they loved their new park. At the entrance, they put up a big sign that said “Mindyburg Paradise Park; Have a Goode Day!” The law firm also staffed a booth next to the entrance, giving out “Have a Goode Day” buttons to anyone who wanted to enter the park. The people of Mindyburg faithfully wore their “Goode Day” buttons whenever they visited the park—mainly to show their deep gratitude, for no one guarded the entrance or enforced this rule. The people also declared the 15th  of each month to be “Goode Appreciation Day.” On the 15th, people within blocks of the park decorated their homes and businesses with flowers, and everyone exchanged the greeting: “Have a Goode day!” On the anniversary of the park’s grand opening, they also held a parade, and (for many years) unveiled some addition to the park. The first year, it was a free “green” parking lot, made of those special bricks that grass could grow through. The second year, they added a shelter near the spring, where people could get free cups of refreshing water, and gather for picnics even in the rain.

For about a decade, things went very well, but a few people began to complain about one thing or another. The benches needed paint, a pool near the spring kept getting dirty, there wasn’t enough parking, etc. City Council asked Mr. Goode’s law firm for permission to form a committee to oversee the park’s ongoing needs, and they didn’t see any reason to prevent this.

The Park Committee first decided that it would solicit donations from local businesses to meet financial needs; up to that point, different companies and citizens’ groups would occasionally provide free cups for the water, paint for the benches, and various other needs, but there was no consistent oversight and sometimes cups would run out, the grass got too long, etc. It had been Mr. Goode’s intention that his law firm would take care of these needs, but they had gotten busy with other things over the years.

In fact, the firm was somewhat relieved when City Council decided to help with the park, because maintaining the park sometimes required a good deal of time and money. They knew that “with authority comes responsibility,” but heavy caseloads often meant uncut grass, broken swings, and so forth. The booth that had once constantly made “Goode Day” admittance buttons available near the entrance, had first reduced its hours, then become open only once a week, and eventually closed altogether; the law firm simply put up a sign that said “Goode Day buttons available at our office by appointment.” Only the old timers faithfully wore the buttons, anyway. On occasion, one of the lawyers would suggest that they should contact Mr. Goode for additional help, but the other lawyers always said that the current need wasn’t really big enough to bother Mr. Goode, and eventually, they simply forgot that he had promised to help if asked.

Led by the new Park Committee, many people worked together to fix up the park, because everyone agreed that it was important to the community and that it needed a bit of work. After the Committee reminded local businesses that the park had begun with a generous gift to the people, many were very happy to donate to the park’s upkeep. When the park’s next anniversary came around, there was big “grand re-opening.” Once again there was a parade (for the annual parades had stopped a few years earlier), and lots of people flocked in to see the new benches, enjoy the spring water, and buy ice cream at a new ice cream parlor. The Park Committee even printed and gave out free buttons that said, “Have a good day at Paradise Park!” One of the lawyers noticed that the ice cream was not free—it was the first time people had to pay for anything on Mr. Goode’s land; another expressed regrets that the Park Committee had decided to change the required wording from “Have a Goode Day” to “good day,” but the firm was too busy with other things to make any formal protest or take any official action.

Things went smoothly for a few more years. But eventually, the businesses that donated the most money felt that they should also derive some benefit from their generosity. When one started to sell cups of water, no one objected because they were really cheap, and—after all—someone had to pay for the cups, didn’t they? Another company saw how much money the ice cream parlor was making, so they opened a burger and lemonade stand. Another company built a fairly large gym (and a concrete parking garage), and those who wished to use the facilities paid a small fee. Again, no one objected, because it only affected a small number of Mindyburg’s citizens, and they felt that they were getting a lot for their money.

As the years went by, the park slowly changed. Other businesses opened on the property, sometimes creating whole new entrances to the park right by their establishments. At first they were restaurants and convenience stores, but after an expensive jewelry store opened it’s doors no one much cared whether the buildings were being used for “people oriented” purposes or not. Eventually, you could even buy fake watches and illegal drugs at certain parts of the park.

After the park’s original sign fell down, the Park Committee replaced it; but several townspeople had complained for so long about the misspelling of “good” (and the Park Committee got tired of trying to explain) that the new sign simply said “Have a good day at Mindyburg Paradise Park.” By now, neither the water-playground nor the spring water were free, the overgrown sandbox was primarily used by pet owners as a big litter box, the signs that told park rules were now covered with ivy, and buildings had crowded out a lot of the once-green space. The only people still wearing “Goode Day” buttons were a small group of fanatics who occasionally held signs at the park entrances protesting about the changes and telling people that they couldn’t get in without the required badges. Almost no one listened, and occasionally these nuts were even arrested for disturbing the peace.

Nonetheless, the public park was still there, being enjoyed by many people. It was now run completely by the Park Committee, mainly using revenue from the water-playground, a swimming pool, rented building space and concessions, for the town’s businesses had long since stopped making voluntary donations. On paper, the law firm was the park’s legal guardian, but after suffering from a series of judicial decisions against its clients the firm had been reduced to little more than a few underpaid and overworked interns, who certainly didn’t have time to oversee a public park.

To make a long story short, this once-beloved public place of happiness had certainly gone downhill. Most sadly of all, almost no one remembered that it had all began with Mr. Goode’s extreme act of generosity. In fact, most citizens had never heard of Mr. Goode, and some even said that such a person never existed in the first place. The park’s true owner, his rules, and his generosity had become irrelevant. On the 15th of the month, most of the businesses on the property still followed the habit of putting out fresh flowers, but very few knew why.

One day, the members of the Mindyburg Park Restoration Society (a group that many citizens thought of as fanatic nuts) sent a letter to the editor of the Mindyburg Herald, asking that it be printed as a public service announcement. The letter said:

Dear fellow Mindyburg citizens:

       Many years ago, a generous man created beautiful Mindyburg Paradise Park, and established a few simple rules to keep it clean, safe, and available for all of us to enjoy. For example, only those wearing “Have a Goode Day” buttons are supposed to enter, and no one should have to pay for anything on the property, but now strangers and even drug dealers wander through the park, where all sorts of things—good and bad—are for sale. The property was also supposed to be mainly green space, full of life. Today, ugly buildings, workshops, offices, and stores of all kinds clutter the land and choke the beautiful flowers and pools that once served us all. Wouldn’t we be ashamed if Mr. Goode came back to visit? And isn’t it about time that we worked together to make this park the beautiful place it was meant to be?

The editor read it, and simply threw it away.

But the writer also sent Mr. Goode’s law firm a copy, which happened to be read by a young lawyer who was sorting the mail. Out of curiosity, this lawyer looked back at the original documents related to the public space near the center of town. He was shocked by what he read, and especially by the realization that his firm was legally responsible for carrying out Mr. Goode’s instructions regarding Mindyburg Paradise Park. After the firm discussed the situation, they decided to put their authority to work. Starting early the next morning, their “free button” booth was back in operation. They also hired a company to tear down an unsightly shop known for selling pirated and “girly” videos, and they sent a copy of the demolition order to the Park Committee along with a copy of the original bylaws for Paradise Park.

The Park Committee was furious about the law firm’s actions, organized citizens to block the demolition team, and made sure the press was on hand for the event. People held signs that said: “Today the video store, tomorrow the ice cream parlor?” and “I’ll tell you what to do with your buttons!” Many miles away, Mr. Goode saw the spectacle on the TV news. He was now quite old, but it just so happened that his son had been surveying his father’s land gifts. Some had flourished and even led to completely unsubsidized parks starting in other towns, but most had, eventually, gone the way of Mindyburg’s park. Both father and son were deeply offended by the ingratitude of Mindyburg’s residents, and decided that the time had come to do something about it.

 

What do you think they should do?

---------------

Things to think about

Instead of asking what went wrong, we might begin by wondering why Mr. Goode had been generous in the first place. He didn’t have to be. This is a great mystery of life. Why are some people good?

Selfishness is natural—survival of the fittest, and all that. But generosity, kindness and love run contrary to “nature.” Mindyburg’s businesses acted “normal,” looking for ways to make a profit from the generosity (and needs/wants) of others. Mindyburg’s citizens acted “normal,” quickly redefining the privilege to use this park as a right to use it in any way they wished. But it is hard to explain why someone would just give away something worth a huge amount of money, unless it has been placed deep within our nature to be like One who is described as loving and unexplainably generous.[1] Whatever the explanation, it is too bad that most of us live according to what is normal for our race instead of according to the pattern hidden deep within our nature.

Discussion question:

1. Who do you think was most at fault for the park’s demise, and why? Talk about the role each of the following had in this situation: the townspeople, Mr. Goode, the law firm, the Park Committee, people who conducted business on the property, the Restoration Society.

Some people complain that Mr. Goode was being unreasonable. They say he had too much faith in the goodness of the people and the power of generosity. They also complain that once Mr. Goode created the park and made it available to the public, he no longer had the right to control his gift, who enjoyed it, and how it was used. Perhaps he was being overly optimistic, but the second complaint is groundless because the original bylaws clearly stated that Mr. Goode retained legal rights over the property, regardless of what people “believed” about his rights (or even his existence). Doesn’t the owner have the right to make rules, and enforce them (or graciously overlook them) in the way he chooses? Another important question is: How long can or should he put up with disobedience and abuse?

Others blame the citizens for the park’s demise. Mr. Goode hoped that those who enjoyed the park would honor and enforce the rules and help the park develop, but the people lazily enjoyed whatever was available. Many townspeople even resented Mr. Goode’s wealth, feeling that their own relative poverty meant that they had no individual responsibility for the park or for obeying its official rules. Call it jealousy, selfishness, class-struggle or even “the spirit of victimization,” but a lot of people think and act that way.

The citizens forgot that no one forced them to enter the park. Happiness (enjoying the park) was the result of a choice to accept a gift (accepting the invitation to enter). Choosing not to enter had its own results (e.g., foregoing the fun waiting inside the park), but once people made the choice to enter, they were obligated to obey the one who made the rules. This is often the danger in redefining a privilege as a right, but the law made it clear that the owner retained all rights, so he alone defined the people’s rights and obligations. Like most people, Mindyburg’s residents felt like they should be exempt from the obligation of obedience to laws they didn’t agree with, as well as exempt from any responsibility for their own happiness. But our obligations and our happiness frequently go hand in hand. Perhaps that is part of what Abraham Lincoln meant when he said: “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Discussion questions:

2. What would you do if you were Mr. Goode, and you heard about the protests?

3. Which of Mr. Goode’s rules are reasonable? How would you change, add to, or subtract from the rules? Should people be allowed to make unreasonable rules for the use of their property by others?

----------------------

Epilogue

Mr. Goode’s grandfather had been an immigrant, arriving in this country with only a few dollars in his pocket. Many people—some of them as poor as himself—had helped him get started. He began by collecting garbage, eventually bought a collection truck, then another, and so forth until he could bid for garbage collection contracts in neighboring communities. With each contract, he also invested in land near the center of these small towns, which of course eventually became cities. He never forgot his humble beginnings nor the common people who helped him, and he passed this appreciation down to his children and grandchildren.

In response to news of the protests at Mindyburg Paradise Park, Mr. Goode got a court order giving his son permission to brick up all the entrances, and (after giving the tenants a week’s notice) he arrived with a large construction crew and armed guards to carry out the court order. Most businesses thought he was just bluffing so they were shocked to find the way into their businesses barred one morning. From inside the walls, Mr. Goode Jr. tore down anything that didn’t conform to his father’s original rules.

Interestingly, a few businesses asked for permission to remain, agreeing not to charge for their services. The ice cream parlor, for example, had now built prosperous stores in several parts of town, so they agreed to stay in the park, offering free single-dip cones (one-per-person-per-day) to park visitors—this was indeed a popular spot in the park! The gym moved out, as did most of the other businesses, and within a week ugly walls were being replaced with living trees, flowers and bushes.

However, the protests continued, so Mr. Goode quietly put all of his sanitation workers “on strike”—actually redirecting them to work inside the park to plant, prune, fix, and clean the place. He also allowed members of the Restoration Society and other volunteers to help in the clean-up effort. Three weeks later, you wouldn’t believe how beautiful the park had become again. You also wouldn’t believe how much filth can pile up on a city’s streets within three weeks! Perhaps it was the stark contrast between the piles of their own garbage and the growing beauty of Paradise Park, but soon the protests ceased. There is nothing like a good glimpse of your own filth to open your eyes to something of true beauty. In the end, there was nothing anyone could do to stop Mr. Goode or to change his rules; the law was on his side.

Many people never visited the park again. There were, after all, other parks in town, some with stricter rules and some with no rules at all. There were also lots of reasons given for avoiding Mindyburg Paradise Park:

“It’s got dumb rules, so I’d rather go elsewhere.”

“I’m not putting ‘button holes’ in this expensive dress!”

“My friends don’t go, and it probably isn’t as beautiful as others say—why bother?”

“Mr. Goode is a tyrant! I can’t believe anyone would keep people out because they aren’t wearing a free button! I won’t support his little kingdom.”

“I’m too busy; maybe I’ll try it someday when I’m old.”

But lots of people, faithfully wearing their “Have a Goode Day” buttons, flocked through the renovated (and now guarded) gate to enjoy the park’s renewed serenity and beauty. And everyone who actually visited all of the town’s parks said that none could really compare to Mindyburg Paradise Park.

----------------

Things to think about

Perhaps Mr. Goode was not unreasonably confident in the power of generosity after all. The happiest people in this tale were those who appreciated this generous gift (even in the park’s times of disrepair), chose to enjoy it, shared it with others, and worked to make it better for themselves and others. Only by becoming genuinely thankful and personally generous, can one really enjoy gifts from others. Put another way, only an internal spirit of thankfulness and love can make it possible to appreciate whatever external blessings one finds in his/her life. As they say: “Every man is a friend to one who gives gifts,”[2] but most people don’t realize that every gift received should compel us to give away just as much. In giving, we not only bless others, but also derive happiness. Perhaps Mr. Goode understood this, for why else would he have given so generously to total strangers?

Discussion questions:

1. Do you think it was better to trust people to obey the rules on their own, or to post guards and build walls to make sure the rules were obeyed? Explain your answer.

2. Now that the park’s rules were being enforced, would you visit the park or go elsewhere? Would you wear the “Goode Day” button proudly and with appreciation, or reluctantly and only because it was required? Explain.

3. If you arrived at the park entrance, and guards asked: “Why should you be allowed to enter Mr. Goode’s park?” What would you say?[3] If your visit is as wonderful as people say it will be, what would you be thinking as you leave?

4. Should earth’s kingdoms and countries have rules about who gets to be in their territory? Should there be similar rules for who gets to be in “heaven” or the “kingdom of God”? Who gets to make these rules? Explain.

--------------------

According to the Christian Bible, the “Kingdom of God” is both a perfect “paradise” that Christians go to when they die and an invisible kingdom that Christians build “on earth as it is in Heaven.” Our imperfection (i.e., sin) blocks our entrance to this perfect kingdom, so admittance involves both God’s invitation and our response. The Heavenly Father provided a free ticket when his Son Jesus paid for our sin on the cross, but this free gift must be accepted to be of any use (sort of like the free buttons in this story). You may not like the rules, or may even think that things like prayer and baptism are foolish, but “He who owns the land makes the rules” regardless of what people “believe” about His rights (or even His existence). Happiness (enjoying life as a part of God’s kingdom) is the result of a choice to accept a gift (salvation through faith in Jesus Christ). Choosing not to be a part of this kingdom has its own results (e.g., eternal separation from God and the goodness He wishes to bring into your life), but once people make the choice to enter His kingdom they are obligated to obey the one who made the rules. Our obligations and our happiness go hand in hand; or as Jesus put it: “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The word “obedience” sounds harsh to a lot of people, but in this case obedience brings supernatural grace that actually changes us from the inside. God’s generosity and goodness are certainly an example for us to follow, but God also gives His obedient children the power to love and serve others with so much joy that it makes the world’s “fun” look like… well, to look like sin. Sure there are other religions--some with even stricter rules, and some with hardly any rules at all. The question is: Which one is the truth? Throughout history, those who have made the effort to seriously compare the different explanations for the mysteries that intellect and science will never be able to explain, normally end up at the foot of the cross, where God has provided forgiveness and the most satisfying answers. As someone once said, “When people reach up to God we call it religion; when God reaches down to people we call it Christmas.”

[1] The Christian Bible says “God is love” (1 John 4:8)

[2] The Bible, Proverbs 19:6

[3] I think the best answer is: “I don’t deserve to enter this place any more than anyone else, but Mr. Goode has provided it, and has provided this button to allow me to enter, so here I am.” As you leave, you should be thinking: “What a great place! I’m so grateful for this generous gift that I should tell my friends about it, and get them to wear buttons so they can enjoy it too!”

 

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© 2007 Michael Krigline, all rights reserved. As far as I am concerned, people are allowed to print/copy it for personal or classroom use.

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