By Beth Sullivan
There is nothing like becoming a
Grandmother to shake up perceptions, open eyes and think of hope.
When we have our own children, we
are busy being new parents, and trying to do things right and keeping
them safe. More than thirty years later, we are armed with more
knowledge, different priorities, as well as so many more experiences
to share. While working with elementary school age children has
always been my passion, thinking about starting with a blank slate, a
brand new open mind, is a little daunting but at the same time is
opening my eyes as well. I am truly seeing things differently and
thinking how they might be seen for the first time by a little one.
Many questions to answer in the future
Really: how does one explain color?
This time of year it is so abundant. All colors are mixed up with
leaves and trees. How do they change? Why do they change? Do we
explain by science or miracles and magic to a little one? October
sky blue, filled with flying squawking Blue Jays, blue sea. Off
shore waters change blue hues in a blink.
 |
| How to explain the colors of Autumn? |
 |
| How to describe the changing color of the sky and water? |
How do we begin to explain the
mystery of birds and flight? I am not sure I understand it well
enough to explain simply to a small child filled with curiosity and
questions. Will there still be flights of Tree Swallows that create
magic formations as they come to roost at night in the reeds along
the coast? Will he wish to fly as I surely did…do?
 |
| How do birds fly? |
 |
| Will Swallows still gather? |
How about those little creatures,
often overlooked and reviled- Spiders and slugs and bugs? They are
special creatures too. Look closely at a slug….wait for those
antennae to come out as it explores your finger. Watch the slow
twisting gliding of its body as it changes shape and moves –
mysterious, not “gross”. How do we instill caution about spiders
that can bite but are not evil and mean, without creating fear?
What about the magic of butterflies?
Light and airy yet strong enough to cover continents with their
flights. Will there be Monarchs for my grandson to watch when he is
old enough to understand how special they are? And how on earth do
caterpillars become butterflies??
 |
| Will there be Monarchs to wonder at? |
 |
| Woolly Bears are every child's favorite Caterpillar. |
I can’t wait to take him on walks,
let him climb a tree, look under a log, let him hold a bird and watch
his face the first time he does. I will look forward to bringing him
into swamps and getting muddy and helping him learn how to catch
frogs and sneak up on snakes.
 |
| How to catch a frog? |
In the mean time
All those things are still years
away. But in the mean time I can look at things I love and try to
imagine how a fresh young open mind will perceive them. I challenge
you to do the same, just for yourself. It is quite eye-opening and a
cause for hope. It also reinforces the conviction that we must do
our best to preserve what we can so that there will be places for our
next generations to explore and cherish.
Photographs by Beth Sullivan.
No comments:
Post a Comment