Cultivating Experiences

In the opening scene of Les Miserables, the prisoners sing "Look down, look down, there's twenty years to go." I admit I felt that sentiment a bit when I was hiking across the Grand Canyon in May 2015. Early that year, I overheard some of my thirty-something friends discussing an upcoming hike across the Grand Canyon. I had never even laid eyes upon the Grand Canyon, let alone hiked across it. I was intrigued and I surprised myself by asking if I could join their hike. They agreed to allow me but declared they would not haul me out of the bottom of the canyon. The Grand Canyon trail is 23 miles from rim to rim with an elevation change of over 10,000 feet. I hadn't done any significant hiking in my life. I prepared well and I was determined to not be a burden to the group. We departed from the North Rim early in the morning. After about two miles I began to think "There's twenty years to go." I looked down, gritted my teeth, and some 10 hours later, I reached the top of the South Rim. It was a glorious feeling to have accomplished something that I didn't think I had in me. A few days later I was talking with one of the group. He was gushing about how beautiful the Grand Canyon is. It was then that I realized that I had been looking down during my entire crossing. I was so worried about survival that I didn't even notice the grandeur and majesty of the canyon. The skill of observation, or "looking up", is critical not only in enjoying the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but also in finding joy in daily life. In addition, the skill of observation is critical to our success in life. A group of college students was given the task of engineering an incubator for the impoverished. Their goal was 1% of the current cost of $20,000. Their original designs required electricity. It wasn't until they traveled to Nepal and observed that 80% of babies were born in homes with no electricity that they changed their vision and were able to succeed in their design. A family with three young boys recently toured our Marbles Farm property. Children are naturally curious and observant. Before long they had discovered a leg from a recently deceased baby deer and a large bird nest that had fallen from a tree. Young Milo looked up and spotted a squirrel scampering from limb to limb in one of the many tall pine trees on the property. One benefit of getting children outside in nature is the motivation to look up and observe. Conversely, time indoors, especially with screens, is usually time spent looking down. Purposeful parents and teachers can take this natural tendency to "look" and turn it into a satisfying learning experience for children. This is one of our main purposes at Marbles Farm. We will encourage and teach the skill of observation. I vowed to return to the Grand Canyon and find the beauty that my co-hiker had observed. In 2016, a friend and I hiked rim-to-rim-to-rim. But this time I looked up. I immersed myself in the experience. Every bend in the trail revealed a new and spectacular vista. To be sure, it was a difficult hike, but I had learned to observe the surroundings and it made all the difference.

Have you been looking for a fun indoor winter gardening project to do with your child? Try planting an amaryllis bulb. This enormous bulb is easy to plant and bring into flower. The large, trumpet-shaped blossoms that open atop tall stalks are perfect for livening up a windowsill when the garden outside is at its bleakest. These bulbs can be found in garden stores and come in shades of red, pink and white that will burst into bloom about 6 to 8 weeks after planting. A perfect welcome to Spring! Help your child pick out a bulb at a local gardening store, then choose a pot that is about two inches bigger than the diameter of the bulb. Using a light potting mix that drains well, have them set the bulb in the pot so that the top third of the bulb is sticking up above the level of the soil. Let them water it well and move the pot to a sunny windowsill. Allow the surface of the soil to dry out before re-watering. A child who learns through a garden... Scores higher on scientific achievement tests; Increases social and emotional well-being; Is more likely to eat and prefer fresh fruits and vegetables; And will feel responsible to care for the environment. In about four weeks, your child will see a little green tongue emerging from the top of the bulb. After growth starts, have them keep the soil moist but not soggy. Remind them to rotate the pot a quarter turn every few days so that the flower stalk grows straight up; if they don't turn the pot, the stalk will bend toward the light. Add a little math fun to the activity by measuring the growth of the stalk daily and recording the measurements on a kid-friendly graph. In a few weeks, you both will enjoy the huge blooms that open at the top of the flower stalk. If your bulb is big enough, it will produce two flower stalks for a really big show. Fun Fact: The word “amaryllis” comes from the Greek word amarysso, meaning "to sparkle.” Plan now to add some floral “sparkle” to your home when the days are cold and short.

I love the sense of joy this photo captured. Our family was vacationing in Mexico. We lounged in the pool and watched the ocean waves. It was enchanting. Our son, Andrew, just learned how to dive and was ecstatic. This photo brings back not only memories but also an intense feeling of nostalgia. An article in the Wall Street Journal states that nostalgia is "happy and comforting but also tinged with a sense of loss or sadness about a time that can never be captured again. That longing does more than evoke a warm, fuzzy feeling. Psychologists say that it can inspire us to live fuller lives by bringing into focus the people and experiences that have mattered most to us in the past." Nostalgia is a real sentiment that we long for and cherish. I frequently see posts on Facebook showing photos of friends' childhood, departed loved ones, old vacations, or the quaint town where they used to live. There is even a popular internet trend called "Throwback Thursday" where people post nostalgic photos on social media sites. Scientific research shows that this hearkening back to cozy, warm memories helps people to "value relationships more and to be both more resilient and psychologically healthier. When we're sad, cherished memories make us happier. When we're lonely, they can bring a sense of belonging," says the Wall Street Journal. What will become of the childlike nature adults call upon when they need reminding of the delight found in simple things In the realm of early childhood development, expert Rae Pica believes that beneficial childhood experiences are being pushed aside in favor of academic-oriented curriculums. We have come to believe in our society that if we don't push academics in the early years that our children will somehow fall behind the competition. The result is that children are often stressed and miserable but—perhaps even more importantly—they are missing out on simple and natural childhood experiences that they could otherwise draw upon in later years. Ms. Pica says, "What will become of the childlike nature adults call upon when they need reminding of the delight found in simple things—when they need to bring out the playfulness that makes life worth living." This sounds a lot like losing nostalgia. As parents, we can do much to create future nostalgia by cultivating authentic experiences today. We don't have to go to the beach in Mexico. It can be as simple as baking cookies together or going to the park. Most importantly, it is the feeling that is generated that will be remembered and not necessarily the event. Of course, a photo or a journal entry might be needed to bring back some of the details. At Marbles Farm our mission is to cultivate experiences. Some of these will be inside rolling pie dough, and others will be outside feeding chickens. Some will involve learning letters and others will involve learning observation skills. All will be about delighting in simple things and creating nostalgia to draw upon as an adult. Click here for link to the Wall Street Journal article. Quotes from Rae Pica are from the book "What if Everybody Understood Child Development?"