Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope
— a slight change, and all patterns alter.
~Sharon Salzberg
Today I was invited to teach an in-service for division 2 teachers held at Rideau Elementary School. I created the small journal (above) as one sample of some techniques I would demonstrate. As always it was a lot of fun!I would like to say thank you to the teachers at the school for allowing us to take over their staff room and of course, a special thank you to Shama for organizing it all.
When deciding on the theme for my book, I chose the word Altered, or rather it chose me. I just love that word so much because it refuses to place judgement on whether the change that has happened is good or bad...it just is.
We are all faced with changes in our lives constantly, some big and some small. Sometimes we really can't tell how those changes will truly impact us until much later (and maybe from a different perspective).
"May be"
... There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be" said the farmer.
... There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be" said the farmer.
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