Enjoying the Harvest -- Part 1
Amanda Bennett
Harvest....the end of the growing season....soon to be marked by bright orange pumpkins piled high at roadside stands, the spicy tart smell of apple butter cooking at local orchards, and the excitement of local fall harvest festivals. At the festivals, you can see the county's largest sunflowers, the prettiest canned tomatoes you've ever seen, and the artwork so painstakingly created by children of all ages. It is a season of reflection, gathering in, enjoying the fruits of your labor. I'm writing this today to share some of the lessons I've learned over the past few years of homeschooling -- the importance of enjoying each moment of harvest in our lives, whether it is the accomplishment of a child finally learning to tie their own shoes, the excitement of reading their first book all by themselves, the time "they" point out how pretty the trees look, and many other times where the end product slowly but surely peeks out in the midst of daily life.
As many of you know, I've had some tough years following two car accidents. Through it all, we've homeschooled and I'm not sure who has learned more...the parents or the children! Before these accidents, we were driven by a goal of homeschooling them through high school, keeping our eye on the "finished product" goal, instead of the daily accomplishments or "moments of harvest." It is these moments of harvest that I wanted to make you aware of -- that they should be recognized, savored, and remembered. Our "harvest" is not seasonal like a farmer's crop -- our harvest is lifelong, as we love, nurture and encourage our family each and every day. And yes, there are days when this is a TALL order, and it is those days that we can recall the good "harvest moments", days when goals were reached, or thanks was given, or smiles and laughter rippled around the dinner table.
But before we go on, let me take a moment to share the definition of "harvest" with you, taken from Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: harvest -- to gather in (a crop). A farmer plans for his crop all through the winter, then prepares (cultivates) the soil in early spring, and finally plants the seeds of a new crop. Throughout the summer, he works on maintaining and protecting his crop, from drought, insects, and weeds. And then at the end of the summer, he finally begins his harvest, gathering in this precious crop that he has worked so hard to grow. Can you see the similarities to our efforts as parents? We plan, plant, grow, nurture, and somewhere along the way, the "harvest" concept kind of gets lost in the search for both shoes, the car keys, the "right" curriculum, and on and on.
To be continued next week...
Blessings,
Amanda B.
www.unitstudy.com
Don't forget - Thanksgving is coming!
