Hold Gently

“Above all, trust in the slow work of the Spirit.” 

Pierre de Chardin from Patient Trust

I am blessed to sit each morning and look out at the lovely vista here at Kirkridge. New birds are at the feeder now that spring has arrived. I have seen a scarlet tanager, finches of varying colors, and sometimes, I still hear the woodpecker. To be able to draw inspiration from the beauty of the ordinary has been a gift for me these past few years. I find grace in the lessons while sitting quietly. Just yesterday, a yellow finch flew into the house unexpectedly and was frantically trying to get back outside. The small bird was stunned from its desperate attempts to get back out. I used a colorful scarf to help the bird and was surprised by how light it was as I held it, wondering if I was carrying it at all.

In Circles of Trust we learn to hold the spirit of others gently, like we are holding a small bird, careful not to hold to tightly, or to push before it is ready to fly. So, as I carried the bird to a safe place – the concept of holding lightly became real to me. The dream of a school is something I hold each day and long for it to come to fruition. And while I work hard to make things happen, I know that I must “proceed as way opens” (the words of a Quaker phrase, quoted by many). The phrase has been described as meaning, “to wait for guidance, to avoid hasty judgment or action, to wait for future circumstances to help solve a problem (Brent Bill, 2007).” So I sit each day and ponder, work, and try to create a way for people to find their own spirit, their own light, and their own gifts in a different type of school. Holding the spirit of a child is no small event and a school that honors students’ hearts and souls, that teaches agency and stewardship of a community, is a worthy effort.

I was finally able to gently move the bird to a safe space as it gather its strength to get up and fly again. It took a while, but after some rest, the bird joined its companions in the trees and brush. Life can be like that sometimes, we get ourselves stuck somewhere we don’t belong, and it takes a moment to catch our breath and start over again. Schools can honor that in children too. We are fortunate when we have people to hold us gently as we learn, like Jim and JD, of the Circle School, who recently joined our start up group to help us understand a different way to approach school. The Circle School has inspired many, and two years ago, when I met Jim and Beth, the founders, I was inspired to think differently about schools. My happenstance meeting on that May day began a journey that changed how I thought about education. A way opened, and I found myself on an unexpected path.

So – these days we ponder what kids really need to know and why we might just want to look at things a little differently? Fear and trepidation haunt us all; founders, parents, board members and friends. Yet, as I watched the little yellow finch fly away, I was reminded that for so many reasons, it is time to create a school that lets children fly when they are ready.

To learn more about the School at Kirkridge contact Pat Mulroy mulroy.pat@gmail.com, on Facebook, Starting a School at Kirkridge or www.theschoolatkirkridge.org