Strawberry Ambitions

After the excitement of Saint Patrick's Day, my preschoolers and I started off our days in a similar pattern. Sleepy. Them because of vivid dreams of gold, leprechauns, and green gleams; me because of late nights and Irish inspired beverages. Anyway, as always, we were a charming match.

Along with learning today that leprechauns are purple in real life and disappear if you blink, the children shared their hopes for the future. The best came from one of my favorite kids. A tiny tomboy of a little girl who delights me with her unexpected comments. Today, she gave me this treasure: "when I grow up I want to be a strawberry gummy bear." She later told me that there was a snake in the room that wanted to bite me, take me back to his house, and read him a story. (And I was like, "ugh, really snake? Are you going to buy me dinner first or what?" Nah, just kidding. I don't date snakes.)

Well, to me, this gal is as sweet as candy and small so she's practically achieved the big goal. But it's a lovely aspiration to strive to, isn't it? And just like a leprechaun, the idea may be gone in a blink... So on the day after the day we praised Patrick for ridding Ireland of snakes (though they clearly probably left in search of a nice gal who could read to them...) I've learned once again to hold on tight to your hopes for yourself. Let them be delicious and plentiful and don't stop until they've at least given you a sugar high.

From Seeds To Trees

It appears like the addition of new classes to my schedule has unfortunately paused my writing about all of my many teaching adventures each day. It's something I hope to correct. In any case, it's a new day with a new lesson! Daylight Savings may have taken away an hour of time but it certainly didn't take the spring out of the steps of my students.

This afternoon, while doing a cool down, I had the kids make their bodies into seeds and then stretch into trees. One replied, once she had grown, "I'm a cuddle tree and I'm here to cuddle you!" All of the kids yelled, "me too!" and proceeded to wrap their tiny arms around my legs. It was nothing short of pure magic. Upon smiling and soaking up their love, I started to wonder if life's cruelest joke is that we are born to grow up. How complicated the world can seem once we start to "branch out" and abandon the simplicities of our small seeds. We often intertwine ourselves in serious matters knowing we're rooted and unable to move away with the humor and youthful grace of our past. It's so easy to lose the easiness.

Luckily though, I suppose, it's possible to grow up in good company. Fine fellow trees to make your acquaintance and help you to reach for that next thing. And fortunately for me, I'm in a forest with little cuddle trees. Who help remind me that while I had to get older I still have the ability to come down for additional lessons on how to grow.