Butterfly: Obey the eternal rhythm
We live in a society that feels the need to be more protective of its children. Parents stay intimately close in the early years. And as their children seek independence many parents do not let go. They want to stay connected daily with their children into their young adult lives.
This behavior has become embedded in our culture. ‘Snowplow parents’ stay close to their kids into their twenties, sometimes beyond, removing obstacles that might impede their lives; their kids, in turn, stay close to their parents. They are able to because of cell phones, social media’s texting. Contact occurs daily, at times almost hourly.
We should pay attention to Kazantzakis’s words not “to violate the great laws of nature. We should not hurry, we should not be impatient, but we should obey the eternal rhythm.” Hovering over a child is like breathing on the butterfly’s cocoon. Her wings do not emerge. Traditionally, the American experiment encouraged children to seek their own paths, to let them fly.
Teachers, feeling pressure to complete units of study, may sacrifice time for learning for those who need more time. But when they choose to observe students as butterflies emerging from their cocoons, coming into their own, they stay open to them. They observe their being “hatched out patiently,” emerging at their own pace. Recalling Kazantzakis, teachers stop to take a breath and recall that it’s not about enforcing their deadlines, feeling pressure to “breathe” on those who ‘lag behind.’ They know hovering impatiently causes harm while their students unfold.
Invite teachers you know to read my blog, written with them in mind to provide hope in these troubled times.
