Too soon old, too late wise
I have been pondering these words of wisdom since I read them last week. My Dad would not be impressed if I said I was old at the age of 35, and indeed I certainly do not feel as if I am "old" at 35. However, I have often wanted wisdom - something not easily attainable. I have studied Proverbs a lot over those years and the wisdom it contains, hoping to gleen from the wise king who wrote it. I am also extremely fortunate to have married a wise husband, without who's guidance I don't know where I would be today. He has supported me when my goals were solid and cautioned me when I needed to be careful. I did not always do as he recommended and ironically it was when I didn't that I found myself in a mess.
My last mess involved a less-than reputable business associate whom I considered a friend. I was fortunate that she didn't hurt me professionally, but she hurt me a great deal personally given that I trusted her and she betrayed that trust. For a long time after, I still missed the friendship we had and what it could have been. I had turned to Proverbs in solace, yet not finding the peace I was seeking because of the anger in my heart. I am thankful for the forgiveness of my Saviour in granting me the solace I needed when I was able to accept it, finally free from the anger which hampered my thoughts and actions. In forgiveness I have also found a deep sympathy for her, knowing she has alienated many including neighbours, business associates, clients, and friends. I truly hope she finds what she is looking for in life, whatever that may be.
Along this journey called life, I aspire to wisdom and some days I find glimpses of it. I truly hope to one day find wisdom has indeed called my name on a more regular basis and I can hold on to it knowing that I have moved to a point where it is no longer a fleeting aspect of my life journey. Great aspirations, eh?
Monday, May 31, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
You are a descriptive writer. An avid reader of
Robert Frost, perhaps, you LOVE to use flowery
words and use the paper and pen as your canvas
and paintbrush. You prefer to paint a mental
image rather than simply toy around with
people's minds. A very inspired person, you
love to be in nature and usually are a very
outdoorsy type of person. A writer with a
natural green thumb, perhaps?
What's YOUR Writing Style?
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Pregnancy and Doulas
My work as a doula is an incredible priviledge to me and what a way to make my year than to find out my sister is once again pregnant. This brings to three the number of my closest friends who are expecting. Kerry, my cousin, is expecting her third; Sherry-Lynn, a close friend, is expecting her second; and my sister Tracy is expecting her second as well.
It is rare, now that I am not doulaing full-time, that I am not hired as soon as the pregnancy test is positive. I am usually one of the very first to find out about a pregnancy in many cases with repeat clients, sometimes even finding out before the father. This is a testament to my abilities I am only to assume, so why does it bother me that the one doula who has been like a monkey on my back since she chose to take and use my business name as her own, despite a signed contract between us, should advertise herself as the only certified doula in Lloydminster? It isn't a personal slight, I no longer care what she thinks of me or my business. Rather, it is a slight against every pregnant woman and every doula in Lloydminster because it is a bold and outright lie. How are women to trust their doulas, or even want to hire a doula, when they see first-hand her lies in print? What does that say for all doulas, especially in a field where trust is integral, during the most life-changing time of their lives? It says that doulas are cut-throat business people akin to the reputation of used car salesmen... and that leave a very large lump in my throat and a very deep cut to my heart. How could anyone do this to such a precious occupation?
My work as a doula is an incredible priviledge to me and what a way to make my year than to find out my sister is once again pregnant. This brings to three the number of my closest friends who are expecting. Kerry, my cousin, is expecting her third; Sherry-Lynn, a close friend, is expecting her second; and my sister Tracy is expecting her second as well.
It is rare, now that I am not doulaing full-time, that I am not hired as soon as the pregnancy test is positive. I am usually one of the very first to find out about a pregnancy in many cases with repeat clients, sometimes even finding out before the father. This is a testament to my abilities I am only to assume, so why does it bother me that the one doula who has been like a monkey on my back since she chose to take and use my business name as her own, despite a signed contract between us, should advertise herself as the only certified doula in Lloydminster? It isn't a personal slight, I no longer care what she thinks of me or my business. Rather, it is a slight against every pregnant woman and every doula in Lloydminster because it is a bold and outright lie. How are women to trust their doulas, or even want to hire a doula, when they see first-hand her lies in print? What does that say for all doulas, especially in a field where trust is integral, during the most life-changing time of their lives? It says that doulas are cut-throat business people akin to the reputation of used car salesmen... and that leave a very large lump in my throat and a very deep cut to my heart. How could anyone do this to such a precious occupation?
On boys and learning
It is like others are thinking the same, yet without realizing it. In the Edmonton Journal today not one, but two, articles discuss the differences between boys and girls."Girls better readers than boys, study says" and "Stereotypes stick to kids like glue" look at Reading levels of Grade 1, 3 and 6 students and how teen girls are gravitating towards traditional female occupations. John Holt's book Better Late Than Early explains well how boys are hardwired differently than girls, especially when it comes to reading and writing skills. I was very priviledged to have a homeschool friend who loaned me that book in my homeschool teaching infancy. The key concern this book brought out was the detriment to the male of our species regarding their willingness to want to read and their handwriting skills when we force them to learn before they are ready. Having three boys and one girl, I can tell you right now, at least in my family, his words bode true. My avidly reading eldest didn't read until he was eight and my now ten-year-old is just now ready to read. The interesting part of this is, when we listen to our children and follow their abilities, reading skills develop in weeks rather than years. My eldest, now 12, learned to read at a grade 8 level within a span of 24 weeks... when he was ready. But my sons were not in the education system so they had the choice. Most boys don't have that option, so they must learn withing the restraints of an institution geared to the learning ability of the female of our species.
It is like others are thinking the same, yet without realizing it. In the Edmonton Journal today not one, but two, articles discuss the differences between boys and girls."Girls better readers than boys, study says" and "Stereotypes stick to kids like glue" look at Reading levels of Grade 1, 3 and 6 students and how teen girls are gravitating towards traditional female occupations. John Holt's book Better Late Than Early explains well how boys are hardwired differently than girls, especially when it comes to reading and writing skills. I was very priviledged to have a homeschool friend who loaned me that book in my homeschool teaching infancy. The key concern this book brought out was the detriment to the male of our species regarding their willingness to want to read and their handwriting skills when we force them to learn before they are ready. Having three boys and one girl, I can tell you right now, at least in my family, his words bode true. My avidly reading eldest didn't read until he was eight and my now ten-year-old is just now ready to read. The interesting part of this is, when we listen to our children and follow their abilities, reading skills develop in weeks rather than years. My eldest, now 12, learned to read at a grade 8 level within a span of 24 weeks... when he was ready. But my sons were not in the education system so they had the choice. Most boys don't have that option, so they must learn withing the restraints of an institution geared to the learning ability of the female of our species.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Success by 6
I rarely watch TV, especially the news but on this beautiful, rainy day I chose to fold clothes while watching TV. The only thing on at six on a Saturday is the news, and always up to learn more, I watched.
Tonight, Global featured Success by 6 in which a teacher is quoted to say that a child who enters school without a fair amount of "knowledge" like knowing colours, numbers, letters will start behind and never catch up. I immediately thought of the many geniuses who were thought mentally retarded in their day because of their developmental delays like Albert Einstein, and knew that the ruler this teacher used was far from fair. It is true that a child who doesn't know what the system deems important and enters conventional school will likely not catch up to the systems' paradyms. Thus reducing that student to being behind... but where does that leave the many, predominantly males because of their developmental aptitudes which are unique to them, who are not ready to be pushed through the system? We are only barely understanding how the mind works and yet pretend to know how to "educate" by pushing earlier and earlier readiness despite what we have learned thus far. I truly hope that when my childrens' children are ready that the current professionals will have a much better grasp of how children learn than current wisdom dictates.
I rarely watch TV, especially the news but on this beautiful, rainy day I chose to fold clothes while watching TV. The only thing on at six on a Saturday is the news, and always up to learn more, I watched.
Tonight, Global featured Success by 6 in which a teacher is quoted to say that a child who enters school without a fair amount of "knowledge" like knowing colours, numbers, letters will start behind and never catch up. I immediately thought of the many geniuses who were thought mentally retarded in their day because of their developmental delays like Albert Einstein, and knew that the ruler this teacher used was far from fair. It is true that a child who doesn't know what the system deems important and enters conventional school will likely not catch up to the systems' paradyms. Thus reducing that student to being behind... but where does that leave the many, predominantly males because of their developmental aptitudes which are unique to them, who are not ready to be pushed through the system? We are only barely understanding how the mind works and yet pretend to know how to "educate" by pushing earlier and earlier readiness despite what we have learned thus far. I truly hope that when my childrens' children are ready that the current professionals will have a much better grasp of how children learn than current wisdom dictates.
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