A quote: “Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” ~~ Marcus Aurelius
I’ll start with a story …
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Funny how “snow days” blurred all those differences we thought so important. The jocks, the brainiacs, the rich girls, the outcasts … but a closed school and roads impassable turned the streets on the hills over the school into gathering place where we dragged our sleds and saucers and shared.
I sat in the last row and she was in the second, closest to teacher’s desk. Unapproachable.
But here? I’m dragging my sled, stopping to watch her clear snow off the walkway to the grand house behind her. She looks up and a moment of trying to place me. Then a big smile that I answer, “Want to go sledding?”
Such an impossible beginning that lasts long after the snow is gone. Oh, her dad didn’t like me and there were those times when I tossed pebbles at her window and we would drive the night just for the sake of driving and dreaming of our future.
Together.
Our life was like the roads we travel … we knew where we wanted to go even if there were twists, turns and roadblocks along the way.
Together.
It’s another snow day and everything is blurred again. I leave a small snow shovel on her grave, remembering the smile that started our journey.
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Now, it’s your turn.
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.featured image cropped Adobe Stock standard license
Cameron says: This picture was taken about three seconds before I was covered in snow. And that’s fine.
Let me explain.
Every day, she came home from school stressed out and near tears. The school pushed the kids harder than needed. Every waking minute had to be filled with an activity that was designed to get them into their school of choice. We don’t mind hard work but she’s in seventh grade and showing signs of burnout.
My wife and I talked about it and knew what had to be done. We reached out to some neighbors and together we made a homeschooling plan for her and her friends. The school fought us tooth and nail but we ignored them. We started teaching and let them learn at their pace.
So yeah; the shot you’re looking at is from about three months after we took over their education. She’s sleeping normally, her blood pressure is at a healthy level and she’s not constantly fretting. Not only that but the kids have already completed their high school requirements. We’re keeping up with the teaching but we’re going to let them be kids for a bit before we allow them to apply to colleges.
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