If you caught my article last month you’re aware that we finally graduated our oldest child. That event and others have brought me to the realization that things are both ending and beginning in our family and home.
Recently I came upon a quote that spoke to me. T.S. Eliot said, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” I started thinking about the creation of Home and School Mosaics and the goals of its contributors. I also thought about its co-creators, two wonderful ladies that I’m glad to say are close friends even though we live many miles apart. As I reflected on the ideas, accomplishments and lives of the many people involved in making Home and School Mosaics a reality and ongoing favorite of many homeschoolers, I realized that, for me, becoming a contributor was the beginning of something that would allow me to share ideas and information, possibly encourage another homeschooling parent, and put some of the many thoughts that revolve in my head into a place to refer to later. I have realized lately that it is time for a new beginning. Now that I am moving on to homeschool a uniquely different child it is time to move from the comfortable to new ways of teaching and learning. It is time to embrace new ideas and activities to teach this little boy that is quite different from the young woman I must let fly on her own. My time and efforts need to move in another direction. Yes, it is time for this fat lady to sing.
First, I have no issues with referring to myself as the fat lady so no comments are needed on that. I’ve been overweight for a very long time. It was a reference to the old saying that “It’s not over until the fat lady sings.” Did I ever mention I love to sing? I’ve been singing in choirs and praise teams, sometimes with adults and sometimes with kids, for years and even sang in a couple of musicals. Singing lifts and encourages me. It also allows me to reach inside and share parts of my mind and heart. I recently told my daughter that I’m pretty sure my brain thinks in songs. I often hear something and a song comes to mind. I consider it a gift from God. Sometimes I’ve giggled over a song that comes to mind. Other times I’ve been brought to tears by a song that tugs at my heart. Many times I’ve been encouraged by a song that suddenly speaks to me. This fat lady is ready to sing a new song. It is time to move on from this wonderful group of writers and find the next thing to focus on. As my eyes get teary while writing this, my brain is remembering the song that says, “This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend. Somebody started singing it, not knowing what it was …” I’m confident that I’ll be sharing myself elsewhere, perhaps even writing. I’ve often thought it would be fun to write children’s books
The writers of this website are incredible people with very different lives that came together to touch their readers. I think we’ve accomplished that. Bring it on! It’s time to learn a new song. It’s not goodbye. I won’t say goodbye. I’ll just turn the corner and keep moving and …