by Sarah Haggerty
Can you imagine a time when the hills were filled with chestnut trees, the forests woodland bison, and the skies passenger pigeons? Can you imagine a time when a whole village really did raise each child? When all children were playfully and continuously encouraged to deepen their awareness of the natural world? When adults were too?
Just a few weeks ago, our new season’s staff came together to remember those times and to consider the following questions:
- What is missing in the lives of children in the modern world?
- What does it take to prepare us to serve as worthy mentors for young people?
- How can we cultivate within ourselves a sense of respect and wonder so powerful that it inspires others?
- In what ways must we change in order to become the people that we most wish to be?
- Where can we go to find heroes to best inspire our children?
Those questions led us during our first weeks together this spring as we asked the staff to do seemingly impossible things, like:
- Go out in a rainstorm one bitter cold afternoon, making their way through the woods while wearing blindfolds.
- Find a single deer hair in a pine forest and return in less than an hour.
Could they do it? Yes! Can we accomplish seemingly impossible things when we work together? Yes! Can we, everyday, live our lives in such a way that they follow in the traditions of our greatest heroes? Yes! Is it possible that a small circle of children and adults discovering the wisdom of nature together can change the world? Yes!
The Schoolhouse community is wide and it is full of remarkable people. Our community includes adults, children, teenagers, and elders from all across the triangle area. Each one of us is here because we believe that it is possible, even in this day and age, to find wisdom in nature.
Things are not the same today as they were for our ancestors. This is our time to dream big and work hard. Let’s work to become the kind of community that we most wish to offer our children. Let’s become the hope that we have been waiting for.
The staff at Schoolhouse of Wonder are honored to be a part of this community. We have made a commitment to serve as mentors for the children that come to join us in camps and classes this year. We have accepted the challenge to live lives of great possibility and hope.
We invite you to join us.
