Dreaming

I am at the river’s edge.The mist is palpable and fresh.I consume stillness as the stars above laugh.The silence is deafening.
Am I a wake, yet?


(A Sunday 160 Challenge. I did it, you should give it a try. Let me know you did it by leaving me a comment)

Letting Go / #2

Last night was our first night without our 11 year old son, eight more nights to go. I thought I'd share a letter from the principal emailed to the parents because it really describes how I was feeling. We parents, are feeling all the conflicting emotions described so well in his letter to us. As difficult as it is to let go, we have complete confidence in his teacher Karen and her colleagues and while we are experiencing considerable anxiety we know that this trip can not only transform our children's level of self-confidence, it will build a unique bond with the people they will be sharing the next two years with.

I will add the letters up dating the parents from the principal as I receive them...

His itinerary includes!
Parc Jacques Cartier
Saint Simeon
Gaspe Peninsula A ferry across Saint Lawrence River Whale watching!
Basecamp Parc Gaspesie Hiking climb Mont Ernest Laforce & Mont Jacques Cartier

(First letter) Dear Parents,

I am in daily contact with our junior high students and both Karen and I thought it would be helpful if I sent everyone a daily update. I’ve spoken to Karen both last night and again this morning. They set up camp about an hour north of Quebec City last night and enjoyed a picture perfect evening watching the sun set over the river. This morning they were treated to a catered breakfast and were getting ready for a day on the water in the new wet suits and kayaks. They will have a catered supper later today. This allows them 24 hours to get used to traveling before the attempt to both travel and prepare their own meals.

I know this is a big step for a lot of students and a lot of parents. I’m lucky enough to have had three girls...two of which went to KMS and now two of whom are off on their own. As a parent I know how gut wrenching it is to say goodbye. When I dropped my oldest daughter off at Humber two years on Labour day I found a fruit store that was open and bought fruit because my daughter had no food on a holiday Monday...as if a 21 year old couldn’t find a Subway in Toronto. I realized I was just buying the fruit so I could go back to the residence and make sure she was OK. She was absolutely fine. Just like we leave toddlers at the classroom door when they are two...and we must someday drive away from them...the adolescent trip is a watershed event for all of us. Not all children are ready to let go at the same time...but what I know from experience is that children often surprise us at their maturity and determination when we give them real life opportunities to demonstrate to us how strong they are.

Karen French has been doing this for over 15 years. We could not ask for a more experienced or compassionate person to have our young people travel with.
I’ll continue to send daily emails to everyone to keep everyone up to date. I told all the students when they were leaving that they may well learn more in the next nine days than they have learned in the last nine months....and that the lessons they learn are the kind of life lessons that are invaluable.

Another Letter(Sunday)...
Dear Parents,

Karen checked in again both Saturday night and again early Sunday morning. They have had another meaningful day before packing up and getting ready to head further up the north shore. The students took turns jumping into and “eddy” before being “saved” by other students further down the river who were waiting with ropes and floaters. What great experience, I thought, actually practicing how to save someone. Who knows when that life skill will literally be a life skill.

Karen mentioned that at this stage on the journey now the students have “settled in” and realize they still have several more days together. As we all know when we travel something happens at the midpoint that tells you “it’s more than half over”. They are not at that midpoint yet and that’s the value of longer excursions...it keeps students in the moment and focused on the tasks for the day...rather than...oh in two days it’s over.

Karen also noted the dynamic this year is so much more valuable...with our grade eight leaders comforting the odd student who needs support. We are lucky to have someone like Karen who is willing to give up nine days with her own family and is driven by her own commitment to the program. As she keeps reminding me “our students need these opportunities to grow and mature and be given real challenges to solve, that’s what this trip is all about.

You’ll hear from me all again on Monday. We have been blessed so far with absolutely perfect weather...as all campers know...it’s heaven in good weather...and something else in bad.


Another up-date Tuesday, just as I was becoming a tad nervous...

Dear Parents,

Karen called this morning. The students have arrived at the Chic Choc mountains as planned and were preparing to climb Mont Ernest Laforce today. It’s definitely turned cooler in the past 24 hours but everyone is still in good spirits. They found the Gaspe quite breathtaking and were amazed at how wide the St. Lawrence is at that point. I’ve been up both the north and south shore to “the end of the road” several times and you really do feel like it’s another world.
Karen will check in again tomorrow.

Count Down to Home begins is evident in this letter...(Thursday)

Dear Parents,

Karen checked in last night. They had just finished climbing the mountain and were rewarded by seeing a herd of caribou. With the temperature dropping I asked Karen if everyone was able to stay warm and she assured me that even the though the temperature was as low as zero during the night they all had good sleeping bags and were wearing lots of clothes to stay warm.

I’m sure at this point they are looking forward to their own beds and a home cooked meal. Correct me if I’m wrong...but they will return with a new appreciation of “home” and the comforts provided by the adults in that home.

Their last real day is today when they will come back to Quebec City and have more nights camping below the old city. When they study the early settlers camping along the St. Lawrence as they worked their way inland..they will have a good sense of what it must have felt like.

We expect them home about 4 pm tomorrow.

Last Update Heading Home (Friday!)

Dear Parents,

The last night of camping was relatively uneventful. Today the students just pack up and head for home. We are hoping they will be in by 4:00pm.I will touch base with the group once they actually depart. This will give us a better sense of their actual arrival time. If it’s going to be significantly different I will be sure to email everyone.

I’m sure everyone will be glad to be home...which was one of the objectives of the adventure. There will be lots of time to talk and for the students to digest their Odyssey. All that’s really important when they arrive is for them to know we are all glad they are back and that just finishing is a major accomplishment.

I know for almost everyone, this is the longest they have traveled with non family members...and it may well prove to the longest adventure of their life outside their immediate family. It will remain a peak experience for years to come...and when they contemplate a high school or university trip for a week to Europe in a few years they will just smile and say...”no big deal...I did a much more challenging trip back in grade seven & grade eight....and what...we are staying in hotels...sweet.”

Sincerely,

Jonathan Robinson

The Odyssey / Letting Go #1

My son is starting grade seven at a new school tomorrow. I'm excited for him because he begins a new chapter in his life, filled with new responsibilities, new friends, and new achievements.

As parents we are faced with making choices we hope will stand our children in good stead, and I am confident we have made the right choice with Montessori Adolescents Program. In the school information letter this is how they describe students in the program. "Young Adolescents are also young adults. They have to be treated accordingly, most importantly, they have to be given a great deal of autonomy. We must put the young adolescents themselves at the center of the curriculum and have an education based upon their interest, concerns, and experiences in cosmic education."

A new phase in his life with possibilities and adventure, which begins with a nine day odyssey trip. The trip kicks off the school year and provides the opportunity for developing independence and bonding among the students and with their teacher. Often this will be the first time students are away from their parents for this length of time, which is the case with our son. The longest he has been away is three nights for a a school ski trip.

Oh, to have this opportunity and be in grade seven again... but nine days without the young man around hmmmm... I think it will be harder on me than on him.

P.S.
He said, "We would not have known how sucky my last school was until we experienced how awesome my new school is."

You know you live in a small town when...

New Traffic light is front page news in your community paper. Note it said light and not lights. Yes, only one traffic light.


The meat market really is a meat market.
Before we moved here different people told us that Dunrobin had a meat market. A place where you can meet interesting people, a place where you can bump into someone you know, and a place where you can pick up what you want when you don't have it at home. At first, I was apprehensive about this place which has a meat market and was concern that everyone was raving about it. I thought it was a some sort of pub. Shows you where my mind was at the time. As it turns out it really is the best meat market for miles, if you eat meat that is.

Sammy's Pizza, the owners are two brothers and both are named Sam. (Don't ask!) Nonetheless, they are famous, well sort of, for their rice pudding that is. When I first moved here I asked for a lemon wedge with my glass of water. Sam said, "Sure, but it will take me a moment." Then I saw him run across to the meat market apparently to buy a lemon for my water. Try getting that kind of service in the big city. Anyway, now I drink my water like the locals, sans lemon, because I am a local.

There was a gas station. Only in a small town would they take away an essential service and replace it with ahhh, nothing. (See the dirt besides Sammys.) Once I filled up my car with premium gas, and then realized that I left my purse at home. Really. The nice man said, "just make sure you are back before 5 pm when I have to cash out." Can you do that in a city? I think not.


Everyone knows you.

You can order the best fluffy pancakes for breakfast at Heart & Soul. And the server knows the person you're with is not your husband, and you arrived in the same car. But does not say anything. I was treating my brother-in-law to breakfast who looks a lot like my husband but older. He looks older not because of a hard life, but because he is older. The waitress was acting so formal whereas normally she is so talkative, so I said, you know this is not Alan, right? She said, oh, I just thought he had a bad night.

Who I am Missing

Aunty Marie

She is my mother's only sister. She visited a few times, the last time was a couple of years ago. I really enjoy her company, especially with all the baking (she did all the baking),and our long walks in the woods.

This is a short video on her concerns about the future. I wish she would visit again, soon. I love my aunt!

William Ricketts Sanctuary

If you find yourself near Melbourne, Australia, and you are looking for an interesting place to visit I recommend William Ricketts Sanctuary.

On the drive to Mount Dandenong you will drive past Flippin Pancakes. But resist driving directly to Ricketts, and do stop here you'll be glad that you did. Flippin Pancakes is fabulous with an amazing menu and wonderful staff. I decided on pad thai and the spices danced on my tongue in celebration.

It's Your life, you Can have Fun if you Want To

Do you ever think about what sort of legacy you will leave after you die? How will you be remembered?

Personally, it is not something I am preoccupied with thinking about but it is something I am certain we, at some point in our life, contemplate. Specifically, what imprint will our life leave in the world and will anyone remember us 10, 20, 30 or more years from now. How does that make you feel? Is being remembered far into the future about ego?

I remember saying to a friend after her dad died that she ought to write his obituary and place it a major newspaper. She asked me why I thought that was important. To which I replied from an historical perspective, if in the future someone were curious about her family it would serve as a good starting place to begin their research. It is a record of when and where he was born, his parents, his children and grandchildren, his accomplishments, and how he died. In the end, I am not sure what she decided.

So, for historical reasons you may want to be remembered for your accomplishments and legacy to your decedents. But does this really matter? In my opinion, indeed it does. I just got word that a former colleague recently died. Reading his obituary demonstrates the importance of a good obituary. His obit is filled with so much information. What I remember about him was his absolute love of classical music . RIP Stewart Raby.

It occurred to me whilst pondering life, death, remembrance, that the meaning of life is to lived life to the fullest, and to drink greedily from life's fountain of possibilities. Do something that makes a positive difference in your life, and do it often. It does not have to be a grand gesture. For example, do you remember the last time you really had some fun, had a belly laugh, a laughed that made you cry, or was overwhelmed by the beauty of the setting sun?


When my son was younger about 3 or 4 years old he would often say “I am so happy, I am going to remember this day forever.” When was the last time you rolled around on the floor with shredded paper, as he is doing in this picture?













Think of how amazing your life could be if everyday was a day to be forever remembered!