jwvastine

I just reread this today and saw it in a new way, an unschooling way:

*When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame
the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may
need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the
lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we
blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them,
they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and
judgment. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no
argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that
you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.*
Thich Nhat Hanh

Danielle Conger

Yes, that's one of my favorite passages. Very reminiscent of Holt's
remark that you don't pull something out by the roots to keep checking
on it's progress. Anyone remember that one?

~~Danielle
Emily (7), Julia (6), Sam (4.5)
http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"With our thoughts, we make the world." ~~Buddha



jwvastine wrote:

>
>I just reread this today and saw it in a new way, an unschooling way:
>
>*When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame
>the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may
>need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the
>lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we
>blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them,
>they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
>effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and
>judgment. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no
>argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that
>you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.*
>Thich Nhat Hanh
>
>