When I am trying how to think about a problem - what will be effective for the classes I teach or what I can do for this or that student, or all the things I want to do, or how to construct the latest quilt or painting- I walk the trails in our property, and it always happens. I begin to get it and come back full of ideas. I rejoice in having this brain of mine that is always reliable.
Of course, at my age, I often cannot remember names and have to go through the alphabet or just tuck the question away hoping it will come to me. Usually it does.
I have this construct of my brain that has had so many experiences and so many people in it, that at some point it has to divest itself of extraneous stuff. So, this leaves me dumb sometimes at a banquet where I mix with hundreds of folks I should know. "By the way, do you happen to remember your name?" is not something I can ask. Usually, in a few seconds I do remember someone I have not seen in years. But sometimes, not. I smile a lot, hoping the name will come.
I can easily remember the botanical names of plants, and I can easily remember the names of long ago student's pets! Yikes!
And my brain is still going full tilt with ideas for everything. Mostly, I think about kids and young people.
Today we had some young teachers come for lunch. They brought their four month old baby, such a darling full cheeked girl. These folks are in love with everything about family and they have such concerns about the future. They are right on the edge of maybe striking out to follow their dreams. It's scary and I hope that we old folks can encourage them to go forth.
Yesterday I went to collect Giccella, a ten year old, who had promised to write a one page essay to be included in a grant application for our school/community garden. Getting her here was fraught because I could barely connect with her mom. But, finally, it was to happen and I cut through the practicalities by stating I would pick Giccella up and return her. As with all the kids I know here, she lives in a trailer park that is littered with the detritus of life. But Giccella was there and ready on time.
She was very curious and observant of our place here in the Green Swamp. We briefly took a tour of the yard and house (two storeys!) and the vegetable garden and then she focused on writing her essay. She competently sat down at the computer after we had made a list of the things she wanted to say. In an hour we we were done, and all I had to do was make a few small corrections in matters of tense and grammatical agreement.
After that we went out in the golf cart to look at the property. What a hoot! I love seeing this place in a novice's eyes. She was interested in the cows and the young piney woods. She loved driving the golf cart and she was intrigued but wary of the lunch I served. (She had never seen the kind of bread we had or anything but velvet cheese slices.) But she was always polite and friendly.
I am so interested in how and why some kids thrive. This girl will be in my life for a long time. Already, I am thinking that I will invite her and another kid I know in the community to join us and our grandson or a trip to MOSI during the spring break.
Lots of my brain is always engaged in arranging social happenings. If only I could remember the names!
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