You may have already heard the story, but in case you haven’t, a young woman in 1906 applied to Charlotte Mason’s training college and is quoted in The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley as saying:
On my arrival at Ambleside I was interviewed by Miss Mason who asked me for what purpose I had come. I replied: “I have come to learn to teach.” Then Miss Mason said: “My dear, you have come here to learn to live.”
Many of us may have experienced this same reality as we started out looking into Charlotte Mason’s ideas to learn how to teach our children. We may not have realized it for awhile, but over time, we recognized there was something more – we were learning to live.
This has never been clearer than in 2020. Amidst a dismal landscape of uncertainty, confusion, fear and desperation – many found life.
Reading scripture and singing hymns as a family as our church closed and transitioned to live-streaming services grounded us upon Christ the solid rock, the only solid ground bringing peace and comfort while all other ground proved sinking sand.
Time out on trails, in the creeks, poking around the beach, observing the bugs, the birds oblivious to the chaotic world, beholding glorious sunsets and stars – all the wonder and majesty of creation provided peace and solace; distraction from the noise, and avenues for our hungry minds to explore and adventure as well as health for our bodies in the fresh air and sunshine.
Reading in three AmblesideOnline years as we continued schooling occupied our minds and gave us interesting things to discuss.
Pilgrim’s Progress walked us through various trials and humbling discoveries of reliance while Princess and the Goblin spoke to us of innocence, authenticity, courage, faith & trust.
Once and Future King brought giggles and levity while Gilbert’s History of the Twentieth Century brought great historical perspective and the grave realities of communism, socialism, Marxism and war.
7 Men Who Rule From the Grave – showed us the underpinnings of some of the social currents sweeping up our older kids’ generation into misguided activism.
Our 17yo son’s choice for recitation brought both inspiration and sobering thoughts to us all…
“Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”
Reading and processing the chapters on Justice in Ourselves with our local CM reading group clarified our thoughts on the subject and often checked my feelings of hostility.
Handicrafts gave us the ability to create beauty and control outcomes while occupying our minds and our time towards worthwhile ends. Gardening and cooking gave us things to look forward to and fulfilled simple pleasures.
Art, Poetry, Folk Songs – each of these also provided further dimensions to our experiences throughout 2020.
We have learned many things this year as we’ve watched our nation continue to “unravel like a cheap sweater,” as Steven Lawson put it, and one of the greatest things we learned is that we had been well equipped to live in spite of it all.
*The picture at the top of this post is of Stephanomeria
virgata aka Twiggy Wreath Plant. It is one of the few flowers that blooms this time of year amidst the dry, seemingly dead and lifeless landscape. It was a welcome anomaly and a light amongst the dry brush along our path. Doesn’t it make you wonder how it blooms?
Beautiful, Naomi. The out of doors has been a lifeline during this chaos. Knowing The One who made Heaven and Earth and every beautiful created thing brings peace like nothing else. Especially when you can spend time in creation with those you love. I’m so glad to hear you and your family are doing well and that 2020 didn’t get you down.
Hugs!
Cindy
Thank you Cindy! I have fond memories of the days we shared outdoors together