240/365: going for gold
My life has been mostly consumed with home, family, and getting the kids off to a good start this school year. It occurs to me that this sometimes feels like a distraction from “my work”. In reality, though, “this” is not the distraction: it’s the main attraction. “This” is the heart of my life. I can make up anything else that I miss but not the time spent getting to know my kids. It turns out, they are really cool people. I’d hate to miss on that.
The first day of school is more bittersweet now that I’m a parent. When I was a kid, I was always excited to start a new school year. Now, time seems to move too fast. Summer is a blur. While I’m excited for the new, I sometimes wish I could press ‘pause’ and just take it all in for a while.
239/365: first day of school
It’s all about rites of passage this time of year. Graduations, last days of school, weddings. Doors closing and others opening. It’s a bittersweet time.
As a child passing through these milestones, I think it’s mostly sweet. At least, that’s how I remember it. Everything exists in the present moment when you’re kid. You think about things in the future & past, sure. But, really, it comes down to giving all you’ve got to the moment.
155/365: tug of war
I appreciate modern architecture, but I like to inhabit worn-in spaces, buildings with the character and grace that come from age. I don’t need everything perfect or new, that’s not how I live – and I certainly don’t want to live in fear of making a dent or scratch.
I like to sense whispers in the walls, the accumulated touch of thousands of hands and feet, the sunlight and shadow of all the days – good and bad. Like old people who can still paint pictures of the past, these spaces provide continuity, holding us in the strong arms of our collective history as we go about our lives. What a great place to learn.
29/365: GYM / EXIT (Hale School, built 1930)
I was always ready to go back to school. Still am. This past week marked Zola’s first day at preschool. She settled right into this lovely art corner and grabbed a paintbrush. I was so excited for her – she is so ready to learn and explore – that the tears in my throat only lasted a moment before turning to a grin.
A to Zinnia
avant garden 365 