Climb every mountain

(Cue "Sound of Music" soundtrack...no not really :-)

A few weeks ago the kids (Kinder, First and Lucia) were inspired to climb a very steep, leaf-covered slope while playing in the woods. The natural slide down was fun, too, and at the time, I thought it was the goal.

But, talking to Holly this morning, she told me that they did some intense climbing this week upstate. It was sparked, in part, by their curiosity about where the source of a waterfall was, but just as much, if not more, by Lucia's desire to conquer the slope.

Then, I remembered that First had challenged himself (and me) similarly yesterday at the park. Our group had spent part of the afternoon in a field-grove area to enjoy birthday cake and play. The spot was backed by a high slope which banked up to a ridge, past which was a walking path leading back to the parking lots.

The kids in the group set off in search of more adventure, the long way around. First wanted to climb the slope. Luckily, Kinder was tended to by Kelly (in the stroller no less!) so I was free to accompany First.

Well. I did not realize how steep the grade of the slope got. It was comical, me lugging three bulky bags (not really heavy as most of the food had been eaten by this point), the two of us bursting through bushes up top into the path of a young couple mid-dreamy stroll, and it was intense, worrying about the good-sized pieces of glass we encountered and imagining the hurt if either of us slipped and landed on them.

It was also completely anticipated and almost shocking to have had the experience of feeling very much alone, in full concentration, as we navigated our way up a slope which about 3/4 of the way up, I thought might conquer us. In the middle of a city park.

This seemed like such a small moment in our lives, but it fully embodied the spirit, philosophy and practice of homeschooling. The satisfaction of completing a challenge of your own choosing, the minutiae of all the little/big sensory and cognitive experiences that went into the process from beginning to end (not to mention what may be recalled by memory), how it will fit into larger patterns of living and learning and being together...this is what homeschooling is about for me.

We wouldn't be having these experiences in quite the same way without the friendship and camaraderie and support of the people we're with right now. I am so grateful for the community that we're a part of here.

(The photo above, which First took, is of the top half of the slope we climbed up.)