Blanket statements..

I think it must be one of those great moments in a parent’s life when your children are happy,

truly happy…

And not because they got something they wanted,

like a pony or trip to Disneyland,

but just because…

Last week I was reluctant to get out of bed after a wild night of dreamtime,

that left me exhausted and aching in the bones,

when I opened my eyes to see Little Gem (almost seven) skipping down the stairs singing a made up song,

I love my life…

I love my life…

I love my mother…

I love my sister…

I love my father…

I love my step-mom…

I love myself…

I love my life…

 

 

I lay there as if in a dream,

a sweet dream…

Holding it right there,

right now…

And in that moment,

I believed,

[because as everyone knows with parenting, the winds (last night I was told I was hideous…) can change in a second,

and there is nothing like raising a child that can engage you in an ongoing process of egoic deconstruction]

that I am a good enough mother…

And for back up,

just in case I forgot,

a few nights later I was scratching Starshine (10 yrs) on her back,

as she was falling asleep,

and she said,

Mama, I am so happy…

I asked her,

Why are you so happy???

She answered,

I am happy because of how everything works out…

I am happy with the soccer I played tonight…

I am happy with my friends right now,

and I am happy with how everything is at school…

I said,

I’m glad for that…

It’s interesting how two years ago you were so anxious to move to another school,

that I was willing to go to court to fight for that…

She said,

Well I did want to move,

and I needed to,

but then when the new principal arrived,

everything changed…

The school felt so much better…

I asked,

What is it that he does that is so different from who was there before?

Starshine laid it all out,

The other principal and vice-principal were oblivious to what was going on in the school and with the children…

But this one knows what is going on in the school all of the time…

I see him in our classroom at least three times a day,

and not just at lunch…

He’s there when our teacher is there…

He really knows what is going on,

and he knows every single student…

That is pretty amazing,

for one person,

a principal,

to know every single student…

And he and our vice-principal work really well together…

I can see it…

They make things happen,

and it feels good…

And that is part of why I am so happy…

Note to principals:

Just like Alain Vigneault—

That’s why you have training camp,

to sort things out and put the best lines together—

and his Canucks,

you need to think about what you’re doing,

and what is important,

because whether children have the words to articulate,

or not,

they know how they feel…

And as the captain sailing the ship you have a responsibility to BE THERE,

and to really get to know your fish,

in all their complexity…