Letting The World In

I took the kids today to a little rollerskating event for homeschoolers. We had a ball. I was aware all morning of how long its been since I did something like that with the kids. Its been too long, for sure. The Little Man was pretty overwhelmed initially. All the people, many of whom he knew, the scariness of getting some wheels on your feet and heading out to a disco lighted roller floor... yikes! Couldn't blame him, by the end of the two hours he was moving himself around the rink having a ball, ended up sad to leave. 

The girls could not have been more in their element. They love to dance. They love to sing. They love to rollerblade. They love to be with large groups of people at an "event". It was really great to be there with them. I think next month I will go for rollerblades as the 4 wheel rollerskate was not doing me justice, I am an "in line" kind of guy, I guess. 

We came home and did some stuff around the farm, Laura was with her mom at the weekly farmers market where we sell in Topsham. I cut some wood, the kids played in the house and out in the barnyard. It has been an amazing development around here the last couple months to see Yvette and Joepye hang out for long stretches of time. She is wonderful with him, they were that way today. Muriel was running her own Farmers Market stall in the living room, selling various trinkets. I was present all day to how lucky I am not only to have my fabulous kids but to have a life that lets me be with them.

I started chores around 3.30.  I called a neighbor to check in, he has been feeling a bit under the weather. In the course of our conversation he talked about the events of the day making national headlines. I have to say that I immediately resented the world for finding its way into my day. I enthusiastically and blissfully avoid hearing, seeing, or reading the news. I think somewhere in the course of the past three to four years I decided that nothing good could come of it. Does that make me ignorant or naive? Does that mean I have given up or copped out?

I will pour my heart into my life's work, into my community, and into my family. I don't think I have anything left after that. I can affect what is around me and fear that knowing too much of what happens beyond my reach will jeopardize my ability to work hard at HOME. I come face to face with this on a day like today.