getting uncomfortable (chalice lighting)

Last Sunday, I was privileged to serve as worship associate which pulled me out of my comfort zone.  Part of the responsibilities included writing a personal reflection to share as chalice lighting.  This meant sharing a little of who I am with a community I don't know well.  This is a challenge for me, but one I'm happy I accepted.  Here is my reflection...

Paulo Freire, an educator, asserted that children are not empty vessels in which adults can pour in information.  Rather, they hold within them innate knowledge and life experience which helps them understand even the most complex concepts. I learned of his liberation pedagogy as a graduate student.  Little did I know that this single text would become one of the most powerful influences on my role as parent. To let my children discover the world from within themselves, shaping their learning from my own life experience, my own knowledge, and my own questions.

So, too, has been our experience in shaping their spiritual lives - sharing our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs not as fact but as guide.  More importantly, staying open to their questions, their ideas.  Whether it's Jacob's affinity for polytheism and the gods ability to hold force over nature, Ella's assertion that there is one God, neither male nor female, encompassing  both genders as co-creators of this Universe, or Meghan's mastery of the intangible gifts taught in RE - love, forgiveness, friendship.  Ask her sometime to share what these elusive concepts mean.  You'll certainly walk away with more depth in your own understanding.

Their sense of spirituality may sometimes challenge mine.  But they are open, eager, curious, questioning, and can, at the drop of a dime, move their attention and emotional energy clear away from the heaviness of this conversation to something more present.  Something right here, right now.  I think this may be the greatest lesson in spirituality taught to me by my children.  To be very present... with them...with life.  To get myself unstuck from distance brought on by the intensity of thoughts and ideas floating in my head and to...simply ...be.

We light this chalice to honor the child-like questioning and curiosity in each of us, to welcome this enthusiasm and energy into our own spiritual lives, and to acknowledge the innate knowing found in us all.

tribute to teachers

We have officially crossed from one family era to the next with preschool graduation of our youngest.  No more full-time daycare.  All three children in one school, on one schedule (for now...).

I am thrilled to have reached this milestone and, of course, the feeling is bittersweet.  I love the toddler and preschool years and this moment ceremoniously marks the end of that stage.  I will miss it so!  But, I do look on to our next phase with excitement and eager heart.  I truly enjoy watching my children grow in the face of new situations and I know this next phase comes with new learnings, new aches, new joys, new sorrows.  For me, this is welcome!

Thinking through this change, my reflection has turned to the wonderful teachers and caregivers who have blessed our children and their early learning.  I think of the criticism our educational institutions receive.  I think of the governmental influences that make my stomach turn.  But, then I think of Miss A, Mrs. R, Mrs. G, Mrs. S., Grandma S and all the beautiful women and men who have willingly stepped into our lives and given all they could.  They shaped our children's love of learning.  They encouraged their word development and language skills.  They taught our littles to explore and express their emotions.  They listened.  They hugged.  They used every ounce of energy in their bodies and minds to expand and mold the minds and hearts of our children.  

There is not thanks enough for them.  They - each and every one of them - have restored my faith in teachers and in our education system.  They've affirmed my belief that it is the impact of a few loving individuals who make a difference in our lives.

So, I thought it would be fitting to share the many faces of teachers we have come to know.  These are photos from Pie's preschool graduation and I think they express how committed and passionate our teachers are.  This is a tribute to them!

Education is a precious gift.  And I  am thankful we've been gifted with outstanding teachers along our educational journey.  We've taken the time to share this gratitude with them because we know all too well that it will be over sooner than we know...

welcome back letter

It's been so long, my friends.  And a busy, busy summer since I've last written.  It occurred to me as I sat at the computer that it was just officially summer the last time I wrote anything of substance.  Now summer is over, despite the fact that the calendar says there are five weeks left to enjoy.  (I work in higher education, so my summer ends the day the first set of student athletes arrive to campus.)

As the last few weeks raced by, I thought often of this space and my few faithful readers.  I've missed you much.  I've missed the loving and supportive comments of this space.  I've missed the understanding.  I've missed the opportunity to use words in my own process of meaning making.  I have to be honest, though.  I would not have traded a. single. moment. of my summer for the opportunity to write more.

Writing has given me the gift of considering the present: stopping long enough to ponder what each moment means and putting each story on paper so the moments take on a life of their own.  But this summer, I lived in the moment.  For. the. first. time. of. my. life...

I know this because I did not think of work when I was home with my family.  

I know this because I have hundreds of memories that keep playing on the screen of my mind - the sound of two girls arguing and solving their conflict; the mimicking of teaching in their makeshift classroom; the modeling of outfits complete with bracelets and necklaces and high-heeled shoes; the red-eyed, wet-haired exhaustion of children who spent the day in the pool; the sweet chatter of cousins at bedtime; the silly songs with lyrics made up by older and younger children alike; the snuggling; the quiet walks around the pond (yes, with all 8 children).

I know this because my heart leaps at Mr. Man impersonating his younger cousin. I feel the pang of excitement when my text tone sounds, hoping it will be a picture or a greeting or an update about the daily goings-on of my sister and her children.  I know this because I share any news with my husband and children and they are equally excited and interested.  Together, we share our goings-on with them.

I know this because I've learned so much about myself and my own children that I would have never realized without this summer.  Things like I can survive without being in complete control or Peace and Pie thrive in very social environments, while Mr. Man and I need some quiet alone time often or I may worry about choices my sister makes, but they are hers and they are made with thought and care and love, as are mine, each in the hopes of meeting the needs of our families, neither exactly right and neither exactly wrong.

So, I hope you'll understand my absence.  I hope you'll return to read my musings again.  And I hope I'll bring something different to this space because of the difference this summer has made in my real-time life.

Peace,

G

style

I have a confession to make.  For all the emphasis I've placed on reducing, reusing, recycling, and trying to lessen our consumption foot print, I fail miserably when it comes to clothes.  Especially kids clothes.

I've tried thrifting always frustrated by thin areas turned holes, stains unseen at the store, and mismatched items.  My strategy has turned sale seeking, coupon collecting, and maximizing our budget.  This is just simply where I am with clothes.  Sigh.

The best news is that clothing stores are hard to come by where we live.  Each shop requires a 35 minute drive, sometimes over the state border, making it easy to stay away until the seasons change or the pants are too short.  Shopping is never running out to pick something up or price watching, or browsing the shelves until you find the deal.  

With coupons and sale catalogs in arm, we went shopping this weekend.  Despite the usual pit in stomach feeling I get at the end of our shopping trips, I discovered something rather fun on this particular trip.

Three little beings who have developed their OWN well defined sense of style!

So, we had to show off their fashion sense.  Tired and frustrated from the trip and piles of clothes to clip tags, remove stickers and prepare for the wash, they decided to model a few items.  Rather than resist idea, which we knew would only slow things down and cut into our evening, we went with it.  Complete with music, camera, and an MC (Mr.Man, of course...)

Pie

Pie likes bright colors and dresses.  She will only wear leggings (no sweaty pants) and has an aversion to scratchy fabrics, warm layers, and anything she doesn't like.  She's vocal about her taste, flat out REFUSING to wear anything for which she is not in the mood.  Which means there is often little variety and repeat performers.  Many, many repeat performers...

Peace

Well, peace signs are her favorite, and obnoxiously bright colors, and splashy, glitzy accessories.  Oh. my.  I remember these styles from high school and I remember not liking them then.  Her favorite phrase as we shop together . . . "It's cute, but I wouldn't wear it."  

We have very different taste and are on good terms about our differences.  It took a good while and many purchased, yet unworn items to get her to understand honesty.   Remember, we call her peaceful for a reason, her desire to keep peace and avoid hurting feelings.  She's done a beautiful job realizing that honesty creates less hurt feelings in the long run.  I'm quite thankful for this!

Mr. Man

Oh. my.  He is hysterical.  He has no sense matching, pairing, dress down, dress up.  He calls button down shirts jackets.  He thinks you buy layers as a complete package.  And he believes any shade of red pairs with all other shades of red (think burgundy with primary red!).  With a little help in the matching department and a little explanation of how layering works, he is ALL FUN!

Dancing, snapping his neck, flipping his hat, adding the red vest, he is fully engaged in his wardrobe.  Accessories bring out the best in him.  The complete ensemble turns on his wit and charisma.  So much fun to see this young man so full of love and life.

 

I love watching them grow, but the emergence of their sense of style was such a wonderful surprise.  There is comfort in knowing they know themselves well.  There is joy in knowing they can articulate this.  There is peace in knowing I can let go and let them be! 

Now, if they could only show Papa Bear about style!  Ahem