For NaPoWriMo Day 14
Different Ways of Learning
Mama, Joey came back
to school today. He was
very quiet. When we went
outside for recess, no one
would play with him, so
he had to sit all by himself.
I’m still not happy about
what he did, but I felt
sorry for him, and that
was confusing.
Both of you are learning
what the little white flower
represents.
I don’t understand,
Mama.
The little white flower
is about innocence. It’s about
not knowing what you don’t
know and learning that from
other people and things,
and through the experiences
we encounter while we are
on the journey.
But, Mama, you told me
that the first step is asking
questions and listening
for the answers, and finding
out which answers are
right for me. Why would
Joey think it is okay
to hurt other people,
like he hurt Julie?
We can’t know the answer
to that question, only guess
at it. Maybe Joey doesn’t know
about asking and listening, or
maybe he doesn’t have anyone
who can teach him about those
things. Whatever the answer
might be, Joey is learning
something very different
from what you are learning.
Everyone learns differently.
Sometimes it is easy, and sometimes
it is difficult or hard to learn.
Although you were angry that Julie
got hurt and you wanted to hurt
Joey, you didn’t do that because
of something you learned, here with me.
By having to sit alone without any friends
to play with, Joey might be learning
that his actions have consequences,
and it is best to think of that
before acting in the way he acted.
Why wouldn’t Joey’s parents
teach him about asking and
listening?
Again child, we can’t know
the answer to that question.
Maybe they were never taught,
so don’t know themselves. Or perhaps
they did learn it but chose a different
way because it seemed better at the time.
I’m so glad you are teaching
me all these things.
And I’m glad I learned them
so I can teach them to you. This whole
experience with Joey, reminds me
of a very old proverb that is said
to come from the ancient Wisdom Keepers
of a long ago time. It goes something
like this:
If you knock a child in the head
for bad behavior, all you are really
doing is knocking the bad
even deeper into the child.
But now, little one, it’s time
to make dinner and you have yet
to tell me what the Teacher said
when you showed her your poem.
Elizabeth Crawford 4/14/15
Notes: Still without my own computer. Hoping to hear something about that today or tomorrow. The proverb, mentioned here, is Native American in origin. The image is a pen and ink zendala I created several years ago.
Soul's Music 