Perspective

What is perspective? 

One definition is, “the manner in which objects appear to the eye in respect to their relative positions and distance.”  Another definition is, “the ability to see all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship. ”

I love looking at my garden as a whole and that’s usually the way I enjoy it. 

But the garden as a whole is made up of many layers. I can focus on the pink rose by the birdbath.

Or the Allium (garlic chives)  that surround the rose.

At a glance, it’s all pretty, but I know that there are minor problems going on with both plants.  The rose tends to get stem-boring pests that need to be addressed at some point.  Soon.  The garlic chives, though attractive, are growing out of the boundaries I have set for them and need to be thinned.  But I’ll let them bloom first.

In my mind, that is perspective.  Perspective,  in real life, is exactly the same as knowing that it’s okay to simply enjoy the roses today, as long as it’s on my to-do list to check for those pests soon.  It’s knowing the garlic chives are not an emergency, but being sure to thin them after they bloom and not to forget about it.  I think perspective also includes my planning to thin them on a day when I’ll have the time to pot some up for a friend.  They are beautiful, after all.

Perspective, like good judgment, if you seek to have it, leads to all sorts of sound decisions.

Home Perspective, Homeschool Perspective

Just as I wouldn’t try to thin the garlic chives during a thunderstorm, I try very hard not to make decisions about our home or our homeschool when I’m in a less-than-positive frame of mind.   Let me be more forthright.  If I’m depressed and hormonal and have had a horrible week, it’s probably not the best time to decide whether or not to pay a thousand dollars to put all the children on a regimented, boxed curriculum encompassing all seven (or eight or 10 or 15) subjects!  A decision like that can certainly wait a few more days until the clouds clear.

There will be cloudy, thunderstorm days in real life, in our homes and in our homeschools.  I have found that a thunderstorm kind of day is a good day to get by the window with a cup of hot tea and a good book and meditate on the garden as a whole.  Enjoy its overall beauty.  I save rose-repair and garlic-thinning for days when it feels right and when I am in a good frame of mind.

Writing To Gain Perspective

A big part of my life is journaling, including my blog and many hard-cover, bound journals here at home, so I know the power of writing things down.  Sometimes a clearer perspective can be gained by just writing down a few thoughts. 

I have a business friend who does what she calls a “brain dump.”  Each morning she starts her day by scribbling out the copious thoughts running through her mind.  They might be just fragments of ideas, or even questions or just errands to do, but after doing this “brain dump” there’s usually one or two very cohesive thoughts or ideas that help her streamline and prioritize her business goals for the day or week.  Ever since hearing that, I have kept a section of blank notebook paper in my home/homeschool notebook for dumping out thoughts.   It works. 

I have another dear friend who has written out where she wants to be in her personal life; her goals and her aspirations.  It’s her life plan.  Will she get there all in one day?  No.  But it’s so exciting to hear her talk about each accomplishment that gets her one step closer.

What Am I Talking About?

You may be wondering, what in the world is Lynn rambling about this morning??  (Honestly, sometimes I wonder too.)  Actually these thoughts stem from my having to work a few days each week, which leads to juggling, which leads to me feeling like there’s always something not being tended to, especially having one child with dyslexia.  On some days it would be so easy for me to cave in emotionally and just throw in the towel, but I have learned to step back, take a deep breath and enjoy the garden as a whole. 

I love that my homeschooled children have the freedom many days to enjoy learning what they want to learn.  I love that my homeschooled son is totally his own person.  I marvel at his ideas, knowing that they came from books he’s read and from an education undertaken completely in our home.  Yes, there are weaknesses and gaps, but I don’t have to focus on those every day, all the time, especially since he’s an emotionally grounded young man who exercises obedience and an excellent attitude on a daily basis and who enjoys learning! 

What a shame it would be to never enjoy the garden as a whole because I’m too busy looking at flaws and work that needs to be done.

As they say, homeschooling is a  marathon and not a sprint.

Go To Where The Blooms Are

If you want to photograph insects, go to where the blooms are.  Bear with me.  It’s another lesson I’ve learned in my garden.

This is the first year I’ve seen this Euonymus americanus bloom from start to finish.  It’s a native tree and it has drawn some insects into the garden that I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed here before.

I love to photograph insects, so I was excited to see the various insects drawn to this tree.  The thought came to me again that I’ve always had success in photographing insects when I go to where the blooms are.

Going to where the blooms are is a positive thought.  I like it. 

Blooms are everywhere. 

• A freshly-straightened room in the house that you can look at with pride (even if the rest of the house is upsidedown at the moment). 
• A homeschool meeting with other moms. 
• A good book that shares the experiences of others, both joyous and difficult.
• Teatime with your children.
• A great read-aloud, even if, or maybe especially if, all other plans have fallen apart.
• Psalms.

This morning during my quiet meditation time I enjoyed reading some in Psalms.  I read a little bit in Homeschooling: A Patchwork of Days: Share a Day With 30 Homeschooling Families. I wrote out a few thoughts in my journal.

I was reminded of the very most important things of all.  I was encouraged again that all homeschooling families are different and that I’m not trying to do “school at home” but rather to home educate.  I jotted down a few little things that I know I’ll enjoy reading at some later time down the road.

Basically, I’m just rambling in my on-line journal and reminding myself to stay encouraged, enjoy the garden as a whole, and to keep going to where the blooms are.

Lynn