I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

from Mary Oliver's "The Summer Day"

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Food for Thought

"[W]hat I want my children to grasp: . . . every time you point to another person and think, “That,” you might imagine a filament casting off the rod of your finger to catch that person and reel them in close; you might consider pointing back at yourself, and thinking, “Me, too.” -- Catherine Newman


This is one of the things I want most in the world for both Will and Laura, that they realize that everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, level of education (or lack thereof), political leaning, religious views (or lack thereof), everyone is more alike than different. If they really get this, I will have succeeded in at least one area of parenting.


The other nine million areas of parenting, not so much.


And Catherine Newman says it so well. So much better than I could ever even get close to articulating, with such grace and simplicity but such depth.


If you're interested in reading the article that this follows (which I highly recommend), here's the link:


http://brainchildmag.com/essays/fall2009_newman.asp


PS. I typed "eductation" instead of "education" the first time I wrote it. My eductation is obviously failing me.


                                                                    

No comments:

Post a Comment