Gratitude is a Scattered Homeless Love

setting for the Living Education Retreat

                                                                                                  I am full.  Full of amazement, gratitude.  Another Living Education Retreat has come and gone, along with the nicest bunch of kindred spirits in the world.  Blessed.  Thanking God for putting me on this particular path.

morning meds

Here is a poem I shared during our morning meditation on Friday while overlooking the prairie.

Gratitude

by Anna Kamienska

A tempest threw a rainbow in my face

so that I wanted to fall under the rain

to kiss the hands of an old woman to whom I gave my seat

to thank everyone for the fact that they exist 

and at times even feel like smiling

I was greateful to young leaves that they were willing

to open up to the sun

to babies that they still

felt like coming into this world 

to the old that they heroically

endure until the end

I was full of thanks

like a Sunday alms-box

I would have embraced death

if she'd stopped nearby

Gratitude is a scattered 

homeless love

Jen 

We talked about how, even though it was a "get-away", we should treat it more like a "going-to" - of forward moving toward more fully implementing education as a life.  As we slowly understand this sacred task of educating children, we will take the lessons from the sessions, the smiles and tears of the friends, and the thoughts and inspiration that we gained over the weekend and let it all become part of who we are and what we do.

a few friends after the conference

From joy to joy,
Nancy