Debra Bures

I have been musing--my grandmother died when she was 101 years old. She was born in 1897.
When she was a child, preparing for the future meant learning to survive with a good heart--learning to cook,  farm, clean, parent. Who could have foreseen what she saw in her lifetime--electricity, computers, space travel. telephones, automobiles  ad infinitum.  We cannot foresee our children's futures.  We can truly only prepare them for their present--to remain present in each moment--to know how to find out what they need to know, and the confidence to do so. To remain true to themselves and their values in times of challenge and controversy, as well as in times of comfort and convenience.
  Three years ago, my mother and grandmother died 1 month apart from each other. My mother had been ill for some time and we spent much of our time with her. There is no measure for the lessons of the heart--the honor of participating in the awesome process of life. This we shared as a family, and are richer for it.
 Debra

DiamondAir

From: "Debra Bures" <buresfam@...>
>I have been musing--my grandmother died when she was 101 years old. She was
>born in 1897.
>When she was a child, preparing for the future meant learning to survive
>with a good heart--learning to cook, farm, clean, parent. Who could have
>foreseen what she saw in her lifetime--electricity, computers, space
travel.
>telephones, automobiles ad infinitum. We cannot foresee our children's
>futures. We can truly only prepare them for their present--to remain
>present in each moment--to know how to find out what they need to know, and
>the confidence to do so. To remain true to themselves and their values in
>times of challenge and controversy, as well as in times of comfort and
>convenience.


This is so eloquently put Debra. My great-grandmother lived to 100 and I
knew her all my life. I often thought about these same things and talked
with her about them - what life is like when you're born in a sod house on
the prairies of South Dakota and live to see a man rocket up to the moon and
walk around. She was a woman of great wisdom and heart and you're right that
we have no idea what we, or our children, will face in our lifetimes so it
is a great gift to give them the ability to learn, grow, and adapt to
whatever circumstances they may find themselves in.
I also often think of my grandmother's experiences in terms of the
"socialization" question that always seems to crop up when you talk about
homeschooling. She was raised many miles from her nearest neighbors, with
very few children her own age to "socialize" with, other than her siblings.
Yet she was an amazingly social woman, active in her church and charities up
until her death. I think surface qualities like "socialization" have
replaced deeper qualities like values in our society. It's a great gift to
be able to reach for what is truly meaningful and hold that as a guiding
light.

Blue Skies!
-Robin-
Mom to Mackenzie (8/28/96) "I'm going to puff a bunch of hot air into the
atmosphere and then it will be spring!"
and Asa (10/5/99) the aspiring gymnast
http://www.geocities.com/the_clevengers Flying Clevenger Family

Valerie Stewart

Yet she was an amazingly social woman, active in her church and charities up
until her death. I think surface qualities like "socialization" have
replaced deeper qualities like values in our society. It's a great gift to
be able to reach for what is truly meaningful and hold that as a guiding
light.

Blue Skies!
-Robin-

**Oh Robin, now you've gone and made me miss *my* grandmother! (who lived to
be 97) It's okay...it's a "good" kind of heartache.

Valerie

Johanna

Amen to your musings. Thank God for the heritage you have in your mom and grandmom. I hope when my children are grown and off on their own, they remember the lessons of the heart
Johanna
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2001 7:41 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] musings

I have been musing--my grandmother died when she was 101 years old. She was born in 1897.
When she was a child, preparing for the future meant learning to survive with a good heart--learning to cook,  farm, clean, parent. Who could have foreseen what she saw in her lifetime--electricity, computers, space travel. telephones, automobiles  ad infinitum.  We cannot foresee our children's futures.  We can truly only prepare them for their present--to remain present in each moment--to know how to find out what they need to know, and the confidence to do so. To remain true to themselves and their values in times of challenge and controversy, as well as in times of comfort and convenience.
  Three years ago, my mother and grandmother died 1 month apart from each other. My mother had been ill for some time and we spent much of our time with her. There is no measure for the lessons of the heart--the honor of participating in the awesome process of life. This we shared as a family, and are richer for it.
 Debra


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Bobbie

> I think surface qualities like
> "socialization" have
> replaced deeper qualities like values in our
> society. It's a great gift to
> be able to reach for what is truly meaningful and
> hold that as a guiding
> light.
>
> Blue Skies!
> -Robin-
I was already all touched by Debra's post and was
saving my reply but then this afterwards took the
cake. Very lovely thought, and beautifully put, Robin.
My great grandmother lived to be 104, and I didn't
know her that well, she died when I was still very
young, but I have thought about that alot, especially
when doing my family tree, and how most of my family
were living on a prairie somewhere, (heeh, straight
out of Little House on the Prairie types) and they
were all perfectly nice "sociable" people, and passed
it on. My ex husband said to me recently -regarding
the kids being unschooled- that they would be socially
screwed up then, cuz we were, and we were homeschooled
(we met in 3rd grade at a private school)...I maintain
that any social problems we had had nothing to do with
being homeschooled, but ideas about "socializing" that
were fed to us. My kids don't have any problem making
friends thus far, as long as they put what "values"
they do know into practice. They probably would much
rather play with some of the kids from *back in the
day* that were living on a prairie somewhere and being
taught at home how to grow into a loving good adult
someday. le sigh.
-Bobbie



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