I just climbed out of a salt water bath to write this blog. I want to be sure I get my thoughts, about this most important subject of being in a learning community, down before I lose them.
I am not feeling well today. I have a sinus infection. My daughter is also very sick with bronchitis, poison ivy, and a horrible case of pink eye.
I write this, not to induce pity, but to help you understand my bath tub ponderings, and my overflowing, heartfelt gratitude, for the learning community that I am now a part of.
In the past few years, taking care of my terminally ill mother, I have had to grow up. Faced with loosing my second parent to cancer, and living 2,000 miles from my closest relative, I have learned a lot about self reliance, and the value of true friendship.
When I ventured to Texas, I had a hard time, finding like minded folks, especially in regard to my views on education. I have learned in my 15 years here, that you can find community in the most unlikely places, virtually, for example.
When I flew to Vancouver in August, for a SelfDesign weekend workshop, I was astounded at how peaceful the families in attendance, with children ranging from infants to teens, were. There were no parents barking at their children. The teens were playing with the toddlers. I saw one parent head off a child, from another family, who was running towards a river on the property where we were staying. It was an experience of true community.
While in the tub, just a minute ago, I realized how very important this is for me. My son’s birthday was the day before Thanksgiving. He has 3 grandparents now, and not one of them called to wish him a happy birthday, on his actual birthday. However, he received one video recording, and several cards, from what I now realize is our SelfDesign Family.
This week, my family doesn’t even know that my daughter and I are under the weather. From our SelfDesign Family, a coworker and mom, asked Sadie’s symptoms, and sent me a page of suggested homeopathic remedies. One dad, while on a conference call, went to ask a mom who was visiting his house, and his wife, how to help bronchitis. After I did what they suggested, my daughter slept through the night, for the first time in days.
I am flying home to see my family of birth at Christmas, and am so grateful to have the opportunity to share this holiday with them. However, in being a mom and having had to emotionally grow up, I realize that I get to choose my daily life family, and that for me is wholly SelfDesign.
This learning community, is about so much more. It is about support, nurturing, sharing, inclusivity.
The man in charge of our business operations wrote something this week, that it takes a learning community, to raise a child. I believe he is correct.
For me, this learning community has become my family, where I receive support in my daily life, on good days, and bad. I couldn’t SelfDesign, without them.
I love my family of birth. I have come home to SelfDesign, my family of choice.
Ariel Miller
who is a SelfDesigner, a SelfDesign mom,
and works with SelfDesign in the capacity
of building relationships and alliances
