Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. (attributed to Henry Ford)
I woke early, before my child or husband woke, to shuffle out into the living room and read. Quiet. I opened the sliding glass door to let in the cool dawn air and listened. The birds were still silent but I knew they would soon break out in song.
With tea in hand, I settled onto the couch in my spot, my Bible, journal, and a new favorite book piled next to me. A pen and pencil for writing in my journal and underlining all the things I wanted to remember lay nearby. I was ready.
In these early morning moments–some longer than others–I meet with my Creator and Lord. I hear his voice in Scripture and share my heart with him. It’s in these moments I’m refreshed and reminded of the beauty he is creating in my life and in the life of my family. Choosing the path we’ve decided to take has not been an easy road, but it is right.
Many years ago, before my daughter was even born, I came across the writings of Sally Clarkson. I can’t even remember when or where this happened, but needless to say, before my child was even born, I had purchased and read several of Sally and Clay’s books, including The Ministry of Motherhood and Educating the Wholehearted Child. She encouraged me in those very early days of babyhood and led me gently on my way.
I read voraciously and tend to go through cycles where I’ll read all an author has written and then move on to the next. I kept Sally’s books on a shelf and kept on read-read-reading through my never-ending list of books. But then a month or so ago, Sally came back on my radar. She was about to release a new book, Awaking Wonder, and as I listened to her podcasts and read her blog posts, my heart filled to the brim.
“Education is a marathon, not a sprint. And wonder is the engine that drives curiosity and shapes a robust intellect.” Sally Clarkson (quoted from this article.)
Children are born with wonder. And I’d venture to guess most new parents, in those early moments of gazing at the new little one, are swallowed up in wonder themselves. Wonder is easy to cultivate: good books, long walks, naming flowers, drawing the beauty in your life. But it’s also easy to stifle. Most of us glaze over when faced with a litany of facts to remember. But give us a good story, and we’ll remember it for a lifetime.
Wonder wants to flit from idea to idea. Conformity says that might be dangerous. After all, some of the ideas a child wonders about could be above their grade level.
Recently, I checked out the wonderful book, The Elements from our library. It will soon be added to our family library, gifted to either my husband or daughter since they both love it so much.
Currently, I have a second grader who is not studying or memorizing the periodic table. But the book is beautiful, and as we flipped through the pages, my kiddo gasped in wonder at the different images. In the days that followed, those elements found their way into our conversation over and over again.
I’m learning more and more as we step further into home education each year, that education is truly a life. I’m awaking the wonder in my child’s heart, and as I do so, the wonder is kindling in my own heart.
Sally Clarkson’s book, Awaking Wonder, is such an encouraging delight. Whether or not you choose to home educate, I know it will fill up your heart and give you hope and so many ideas of how to bring more wonder into your own life.
Have a lovely {and creative} day, friends!
and P.S., no I did not receive this book for free to review. I bought it and loved it and wanted to share the love with you! 🙂
