The Flow of Life

I spent a day this week with students walking the paths and seeing the Falls in Yosemite. A place we have traveled to many times since our move, yet a place that never looks quite the same. The Falls are flowing full force as the snowfall is melting and the show it makes as it flows in Yosemite is always spectacular but at this time of year it is beyond. A good time to travel up to stand and be filled with awe. This is a time to realize just how small we really are no matter how big it can all seem at times. The speed of life can get out of control it seems and it is hard to remember to breath. This is how it seems these last several weeks. Too many decisions, too many errands, changes in life, unable to slow it all down or even turn back the clock and watch as the children climb the apple trees. Having chosen to homeschool our children was probably one of the best choices Wayne and I made. For us, it was a time to allow our children to grow and learn and see it all right before our eyes. It was also a time to make sure if there were questions and ideas, they were explored. It was not something everybody we knew was thrilled with, yet we felt it was best not just for our children but for our family and eventually for our community and world. To allow these two beautiful children to learn how to teach themselves, gave them the chance to explore, build their confidences, question basically everything and realize that we did not know everything but we were just as excited to find the answers or theories that were already explored and those we created ourselves, or so we thought. I do not remember a time we ever questioned if they would not learn enough. I do remember wondering if we would all get along well, spending so much time togethor. What a shock to see how close we grew. As my son was lying on the couch today after his return from Grad nite at Disneyland and reliving all the fun, I turned and asked my daughter why she kept smiling. "Because he's my brother.", was her response. We spent so many years togethor learning, playing, traveling the roads to lessons and games and we became closer than I ever could have imagined. Life has flowed on and as I crawled out of bed this morning I realized that I did not have to wake my son for school and would not ever again do this simple task. For the next two years, I would have my daughter to wake and then there would be a morning like this when I would realize that now I would never have to call to her to wake and prepare for school. But life flows on and it is beautiful as were the Falls I experienced this week. There will be new surprises waiting for me as there was while driving the road into Yosemite and I began squealing with delight as a bear was walking among the trees beside me. This brought laughter and pure excitement from my Spec. Ed students as first they were excited to see Miss Sharon so excited and they were excited to see a bear for their first time outside of a zoo or a tv screen. There will be questions and theories to explore with my grown children and the new ideas they come across as they are off studying or with students as we work at bringing them yet one step closer to an independent lifestyle. Life will flow as the Falls I stood and watched, sometimes strong and powerful as they run now and sometimes life will run calmly as these same Falls will trickle late this summer. Among it all, I will breath and smile as I watch my son later this week recieve his diploma or as I did this week as I stood at the base of Yosemite Falls with a wheelchair bound student as he squealed with delight as this powerful and very cold sensation covered us with the spray of the Fall. I am thankful for the years we spent homeschooling and the times my daughter climbed the tree with yet another book to read among the branches, her favorite type of school desk. I am thankful for the drumming my son filled our home with as he learned from amazing teachers. I am hopeful that all these two young children took the time to teach me over the years will go with me as I work with new students and find ways to explore their questions. I hope to breath through the moments, the weeks, and the years to come and try to learn from all the teachers I pass, the trees, the children, friends, the clouds, my gardens, the continual music that fills our home. May the Falls each time I travel to Yosemite remind me of all the unanswered questions I have explored and those that are waiting to cross my path. May they remind me to breath as life flows and at times rushes by. Blessings-