The Wisdom of Dr. Seuss

Ever since receiving his appointment to the US Naval Academy, Mr. A has been preparing physically and mentally for Plebe summer.

Plebe summer is a 5-week training program for the incoming class of midshipmen (in Mr. A’s instance the Class of 2015). These few intense weeks teach the Plebes how to be in the Navy and test their mental and physical endurance. It is the first weeding out process for the Class of 2015. Think of it as Boot Camp for Plebes.

Mr. A has been following the Academy’s recommended training program for physical fitness. Even though swim season is over, he continues to go to the Y every day after school to swim, run, or lift weights.

He’s also done lots of research to get in the correct frame of mind. He’s read about Plebe summer online at the Academy’s website, he’s talked to current midshipmen, and he’s bounced questions off his dad. (My Sweetie was enlisted and well understands the working of the Navy).

One day while out for a walk, Mr. A expressed a concern about Plebe summer. The uniforms that the Plebes wear for five weeks are an ill-fitting, collage of pieces pulled from many different types of Naval uniforms. Yes, they look a little silly. The cover (hat) they wear is an enlisted man’s white, Dixie cup. But so that it’s unique for the Plebes, a navy blue stripe has been added around the brim.

The Plebes are dressed in white and the upper classmen are in khaki.

Photo: US Naval Academy

Mr. A said that he doesn’t want to wear the hat with the stripe because it looks stupid. I chuckled when I learned that was his only concern. I simply told him to think of the Sneetches.

Sneetches?

Yes, if the upper classman had stripes on their hats, you would want a stripe on your hat. You only think the stripe looks stupid because they tell you it does. That’s all.

Mr. A pondered this for a moment and then concluded that Dr. Seuss was a genius.

I told my eldest son to wear the stripe proudly. And if anyone criticized the stripe, he should mentally say, “You only wished you could rock a striped hat like I do.”

That day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches.
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars and whether
They had one, or not, upon thars.