92: I can't believe you are 24 HEDCen!

I was not aware that this was going to happen:
to give birth to you at the time I could not even afford to.
I did not even know that I was pregnant!

Pregnant in my head that is.
I kept dreaming that I was going to have another baby after my third child.
I thought that I was delusional because the OB said no more babies for me.

So I kept dreaming that I was pregnant and all the signs of pregnancy I went through
in my dreams.

Vitty was 11 when I had you.
One night of labor to draw and imagine you.
Then on July 1, 1992
You were born.

If you were a human baby, you would be androgynous
but you are not human.
You are a vessel.

Yet I treated you like my fourth child
and together with the entire family
we welcomed you and 11 children on July 1, 1992.

No grand illusions
We just did what should be done.
a classroom without walls and windows, not even a door.

The rest is history.
You never fail to amaze me.
You are not my work alone.
You are His work for I do not know anything.

So I thank God that The Little Farmhouse is now a ranch as I would be joked by friends.
You are also known as HEDCen!
The mighty HEDCen a.k.a "Holy Stick!"
A pun unintended from the boys you have encoutered in soccer!

Body, mind and spirit.
Our work is never done.

As I have grown old, I may be the mother
but I guess, that the continuation of this "epic" is now in collaboration
with the trusted faculty.

you even have your own children now.
Ana and Juaqui are dedicating their gifts to continue and to enrich, to further innovate and polish.
Our past students are coming back to teach.

So I am a grandmother.
Five of my grandchildren are in your classrooms or
they would not be if you were not great enough!


All schools need a grandmother.
And my role has shifted to be the doter, the unconditional lover.
 

Thanking all of you who have been part of TWENTY FOUR years!

More to come! great and small!
Let's build a better world for all!

A tip on how we can live everyday

Boyfriend 2

 My friendship with boyfriends number 1& 2 was based on my curiosity on and search for wellness. Boyfriend 1 brought Indian tradition. Number 2 treated me with needles, t'aichi, quigong and meditation. 

I know that like my first bf, the Israeli supported my advocacy. He tries to help stretch and extend my lifeline and it is his interest to contribute to my health- probably to be able to do more work. 

Unlike number 1, number 2 is nymph-like. He hardly eats. "Think for a while before you eat" was a tip from him. That is the most difficult challenge of all. Do i think first before I breathe? I may not have been a good follower but it made me aware that  eating for health like breathing correctly is a deliberate and conscious act. 

Believe it or not, i found bf 1 & 2 on my doorstep without looking. In my work where there is hardly time and resource to know the world, they were and had been my guides spiritually I can say, through a sacred vessel I am in - a healthy body. 

Recently, he just popped in the kitchen of HEDCen, while Ana and I were having lunch,  just to ask how we were and to offer yoga for the pain i am recently going through.  

Am I not indulged? God gives me big time work and sometimes a cross to carry, but makes sure I am covered. Surely these are fringe benefits from heaven. 

A priceless find

We often ask ourselves at the end of the day, what for is all these? 

 I thought that I had been hogging this beautiful letter for such a long time now.  here is to share with comrades of the trade.

 As I have witnessed my students grow,  their parents grew before my eyes too.  Some came with nothing but dreams and hopes for their children.  Others came with plans and a handful of expectations.  The wiser of the lot know that their children will benefit more from discovering themselves through the challenges that they meet growing up in a school.  In the end, everyone would agree that we can destroy our child's life plan if we meddle too much.

We live our lives in full view of our students or children. Without words, we teach through example. Perfection is not a prerequisite.  the desire to be and to reach the ultimate good would be more than enough. 

And if we still believe as parents that our child's path should be lined with roses, and the air they breathe must be infused with perfume, then maybe we are not being realistic.  We can perhaps close our eyes without a heaving sigh but rather with a contented smile if we know that our child can wipe the sweat upon his brows and be alright to face himself once again when the morning comes.

thank you.  it was a pleasure having your child join our trip to a better world.