The Wisdom of Oz

 My husband and I are gifting our collection of the Wizard of Oz to Fort Hays State University, and I am going through all of the collection, getting it ready to deliver.  Along the way, I am enjoying reading bits of Oz Wisdom found among the many books.

I discovered that there are some of those bits of wisdom and advice that might be helpful to the thinking in Washington D.C. today, delivered with the humor and satire of L. Frank Baum.   For example, "Laws were never meant to be understood and it is foolish to make the attempt."  The Marvelous Land of Oz, 1904."

"The reason most people are bad is because they do not try to be good.  The Emerald City of Oz."

"Whenever an appeal is made to law, sorrow is almost certain to follow--even in a fairyland like Oz.  But it might be stated the people of Oz are generally so well behaved that there is not a single lawyer amidst them.  Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz. 1908."

" A good many laws seem foolish to those people who do not understand them, but no law is ever made without some purpose, and that purpose is usually to protect all the people and guard their welfare. The    Patchwork Girl of Oz, 1913."

"When we try to deceive people, we always make mistakes.  The Emerald City of Oz, 1910."

"People often do a good deed without hope of reward, but for an evil deed they always demand payment.  The Emerald City of Oz. 1910."

"It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know you are a fool."  The Wonderful World of Oz.  1900."  

"The Princess looked at her more closely. 'Tell me, she resumed.  Are you of Royal blood.?'  'Better than that Ma'am, said Dorothy.  'I came from Kansas.'  Oz of Oz, 1907." 

"In Oz we are loved for ourselves alone, and for our kindness to one another, and for our good deeds.  Ozma, The Road to Oz, 1909.

        Thank you, people, from Oz for helping me write this Christmas blog, (and thank you Linda Sunshine for your book, collecting 'All Things' from all the Oz books.  

    Wishing Happy Holidays to all of you!    I could not think of a better message to share with you than these thoughts from Oz, and if you are still shopping, I cannot think of a better gift to children, or those of us who are kids at heart, than the gift of Oz books!

    For those of you who live near Hays, Kansas, or for those who might be traveling near-by, the Larry and Lyn Fenwick Collection will be open for viewing this spring in the FHSU Library.