I've been finding hope in chickens, pumpkins, nasturtiums that haven't died yet,and walking, shepherding children as they run across a field into woods and back out again, climbing maybe too high in that tree. Do you feel safe? I ask them. How do you know?
Asha, I've written a few thoughtful responses to you, but always give up to some kind of snafu logging in, so they are scattered to an unseen corner of the universe. I will just tell you that what you've been writing resonates with me this year. Ha! And I just remembered you using the word "resonate" that way at Quaker House. It was the first time I'd noticed hearing the word use that way and I thought, what a useful word. We can't give up.
I've barely scratched the surface, but I am already a huge fan of your topics!! My pieces are an avenue for young adult seekers to grow more curious about God and the gospel (without preaching and scaring them away). Wondering if you and I could connect and collaborate?
Thanks for sharing this. Damn, you were a globally aware child! I would have been one of the clueless for sure. (And that's okay with me. I think children need to be children, unaware of world events that will cause them stress, fear and helplessness too early in life). My hope definitely lies in the pleasure of being present in all the small tasks that require doing at my mini homestead. The balance between mental and physical movement is critical. Too much of one or the other and we exhaust ourselves.
I think it's totally possible for kids to be raised with some consciousness about the wider world around them and still be kids. I think kids, in fact, are hardwired to understand injustice and to feel compassion across most artificial boundaries that we construct in society-- race, class, gender, ability being only a few. I also think that white folks need to be very careful about the assertion that kids need to be kids, because the reality is that black children and other children of color are rarely afforded what has become a luxury. It is fair to ask white, economically privileged children to wrap their heads around the idea that not everyone's life is like there's and there are age-appropriate, constructive ways to participate in making a difference.
That said, I just happened to be a very emotionally sensitive, traumatized kid, so how I was processing the age-appropriate social engagement activities that I was steered towards was the trouble, not the activities themselves. I could have used someone helping me emotionally process the complicated feelings I had, rather than being kept from participating in activities that, ultimately, gave my warrior heart good, meaningful work to do in the world.
CONGRATULATIONS, ASHA! You made the Leaderboard, woman! And well-deserved!
Thank you, E Jean! You are always a beacon of light.
I've been finding hope in chickens, pumpkins, nasturtiums that haven't died yet,and walking, shepherding children as they run across a field into woods and back out again, climbing maybe too high in that tree. Do you feel safe? I ask them. How do you know?
Asha, I've written a few thoughtful responses to you, but always give up to some kind of snafu logging in, so they are scattered to an unseen corner of the universe. I will just tell you that what you've been writing resonates with me this year. Ha! And I just remembered you using the word "resonate" that way at Quaker House. It was the first time I'd noticed hearing the word use that way and I thought, what a useful word. We can't give up.
I've barely scratched the surface, but I am already a huge fan of your topics!! My pieces are an avenue for young adult seekers to grow more curious about God and the gospel (without preaching and scaring them away). Wondering if you and I could connect and collaborate?
Sure! Email me and let's have a conversation.
Thanks for sharing this. Damn, you were a globally aware child! I would have been one of the clueless for sure. (And that's okay with me. I think children need to be children, unaware of world events that will cause them stress, fear and helplessness too early in life). My hope definitely lies in the pleasure of being present in all the small tasks that require doing at my mini homestead. The balance between mental and physical movement is critical. Too much of one or the other and we exhaust ourselves.
I think it's totally possible for kids to be raised with some consciousness about the wider world around them and still be kids. I think kids, in fact, are hardwired to understand injustice and to feel compassion across most artificial boundaries that we construct in society-- race, class, gender, ability being only a few. I also think that white folks need to be very careful about the assertion that kids need to be kids, because the reality is that black children and other children of color are rarely afforded what has become a luxury. It is fair to ask white, economically privileged children to wrap their heads around the idea that not everyone's life is like there's and there are age-appropriate, constructive ways to participate in making a difference.
That said, I just happened to be a very emotionally sensitive, traumatized kid, so how I was processing the age-appropriate social engagement activities that I was steered towards was the trouble, not the activities themselves. I could have used someone helping me emotionally process the complicated feelings I had, rather than being kept from participating in activities that, ultimately, gave my warrior heart good, meaningful work to do in the world.