The Need to be Needed

Here are some kids who attended my first of the summer art camps.  Hiarintzi, so fearless is beginning to swim. Clearly, she has no idea that she could sink like a stone and she wants to jump into the deep end. We encourage her to cling to the side of the pool and we watch her like a hawk. In the next five weeks, we know she'll be swimming like a fish. Her father dropped her off this morning, confident that we'd take good care of this precious child.

Because of the possibility of rain we decided to have the swimming first and when the kids were tired and cold we moved to the barn and studio for the art.

In the next photo here is Manuel who is making a clay piece of which he'll be proud. His mom is by his side and the two of them are harmoniously working together.You could hear Spanish and English equally important, the kids easily going back and forth in both languages.

 All the two dozen or so kids and parents are totally engaged in making art from fifty pounds of red clay. We spread out from the studio into the pole barn. The kids run back and forth in search of just the right tool or more clay. The drying rack in the barn next to the kiln begins to fill up with finished works. Parents become intrigued and ask for more sophisticated answers. The whole group is so focused and calm, I feel I can expand and relax my tight control. I bring them interesting things to extend their work: some molds and patterns, more tools.

These kids range in age from 6-13. They all helped each other, laughed a lot. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch. There were lots of unfinished pieces but we all stopped for tuna salad and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, veggies and dip, cheese cubes and watermelon. One could get cold water from an Igloo.

They finished up, all pieces secure in the drying shelves. And then everyone, kids, moms and dads cleaned everything up. It was amazing! Kids sweeping, washing bats, taking the left over food up to the main house, collecting wet towels.

Reminded me of the school I worked in for so many years before retirement, when it was just normal to clean up your space! And the whole day reminded me of how natural and wonderful it is to have multi-age groups of kids, working together, teaching each other, respecting each other.

So, in my retirement from a wonderful teaching career, I threw up my arms in rejoice at leaving it. No more staff meetings, no more belly punches from stuff coming out of left field, no more strict schedules. And I passionately believe that one should leave to make room for the younger generation, whatever that might be. I wanted to make room for me and the stuff I never had time to do. I am doing this. I always have something going on- a book, a quilt, painting, pottery.

But I have learned that what is most important to my heart is to be needed in wherever I am so I reach out in the ways I know best- to kids.