Shanley, you write so well. This was a particularly well written piece. We all can learn from this and we can hope that we enough of us care that we can turn things around for our grand children. I thank you!
Hey Shanley, you brought tears to my eye! I taught art in Alb. NM for 20 yrs, I loved every minute! We learned a lot about clay and teenagers! I had the Special kids mixed in w regular students all day. They made friends, ate lunch together and a few went to prom together! That was the Bomb!
Your writing blows me away! Have fun with your kudos they grow up soo fast!
Thank you, thank you for your lovely and thoughtful essay. Parenting is such a crazy see-saw between trying to keep them safe, teaching them how to deal with social interaction and helping them learn to use power wisely. Somehow they manage to grow up!
I wanted to think about this essay for a while, because it answers a question that has been gnawing at me for some time: Why have so many Americans seemingly abdicated their agency in favor of voting and waiting for a "new government" to do something? Not that voting is not a good idea or essential for our very democracy; but people look at the rising tide of homelessness, hunger, and legal offenses and say hopefully "We'll vote in November, then someone will fix it."
Creating a nation of subjects didn't start with the current administration, or even the one before it. It's been a slow, ongoing process for at least 40 years, notwithstanding Reagan's famous distaste for governmental assistance. Somehow, slowly, the concept that our help was not only not wanted but not needed has been dripped into our collective consciousness; the idea that we should not even try, but wait till "someone else" comes along to fix even a small problem like local homelessness or a downed eagle in a lake. Where it began is hard to spot, but where it got us is all around us. And when people are aroused enough to take action, it's seldom in the right place at the right time or against the right target, as Mr. Mangione could attest. Hopefully we don't get more of that before we see a course correction.
As a 70 yr old mother to 2 pretty great adult men now in their 40s with families of their own, and grandmother to 5 amazing small humans, the paragraph in your newsletter today which resonated most with me is toward the end. Children watch us and learn from our actions how to be good citizens. But, this is the part I wish I'd highlighted, they also watch us fail and learn from our failures. Raising resilient citizens is ever more important today as we navigate the dangerous shoals created by those who don't have our best interests at heart. Rise up! If you trip and fall, just rise up again!
I recently looked on YouTube for the Wishbone episode in which Wishbone, the Jack Russell Terrier, played Odysseus. I did not remember that the frame-story was a story in which the children actively took part in a movement to save local park lands. A nice example of what you are writing about here.
Life or growing up needs a Bully detector too..are they ‘groomed’ to it ..when does it become a dangerous after effect . I would be curious if AI has an answer…
Amazing as always! I’ve been watching the nest cam for a few years and praying for the best for Jackie and family. I love the way you write about your kids and see a lot of of that in my grandkids. They are a precious resource for the future. I hope they can repair what the last hundred years have wrought upon the planet.
Shanley, you write so well. This was a particularly well written piece. We all can learn from this and we can hope that we enough of us care that we can turn things around for our grand children. I thank you!
Hey Shanley, you brought tears to my eye! I taught art in Alb. NM for 20 yrs, I loved every minute! We learned a lot about clay and teenagers! I had the Special kids mixed in w regular students all day. They made friends, ate lunch together and a few went to prom together! That was the Bomb!
Your writing blows me away! Have fun with your kudos they grow up soo fast!
Thank you, thank you for your lovely and thoughtful essay. Parenting is such a crazy see-saw between trying to keep them safe, teaching them how to deal with social interaction and helping them learn to use power wisely. Somehow they manage to grow up!
I wanted to think about this essay for a while, because it answers a question that has been gnawing at me for some time: Why have so many Americans seemingly abdicated their agency in favor of voting and waiting for a "new government" to do something? Not that voting is not a good idea or essential for our very democracy; but people look at the rising tide of homelessness, hunger, and legal offenses and say hopefully "We'll vote in November, then someone will fix it."
Creating a nation of subjects didn't start with the current administration, or even the one before it. It's been a slow, ongoing process for at least 40 years, notwithstanding Reagan's famous distaste for governmental assistance. Somehow, slowly, the concept that our help was not only not wanted but not needed has been dripped into our collective consciousness; the idea that we should not even try, but wait till "someone else" comes along to fix even a small problem like local homelessness or a downed eagle in a lake. Where it began is hard to spot, but where it got us is all around us. And when people are aroused enough to take action, it's seldom in the right place at the right time or against the right target, as Mr. Mangione could attest. Hopefully we don't get more of that before we see a course correction.
As a 70 yr old mother to 2 pretty great adult men now in their 40s with families of their own, and grandmother to 5 amazing small humans, the paragraph in your newsletter today which resonated most with me is toward the end. Children watch us and learn from our actions how to be good citizens. But, this is the part I wish I'd highlighted, they also watch us fail and learn from our failures. Raising resilient citizens is ever more important today as we navigate the dangerous shoals created by those who don't have our best interests at heart. Rise up! If you trip and fall, just rise up again!
I recently looked on YouTube for the Wishbone episode in which Wishbone, the Jack Russell Terrier, played Odysseus. I did not remember that the frame-story was a story in which the children actively took part in a movement to save local park lands. A nice example of what you are writing about here.
Thank you, Shanley. Beautifully written, engaging and thought-provoking all at once.
Life or growing up needs a Bully detector too..are they ‘groomed’ to it ..when does it become a dangerous after effect . I would be curious if AI has an answer…
This is excellent. Thank you.
Amazing as always! I’ve been watching the nest cam for a few years and praying for the best for Jackie and family. I love the way you write about your kids and see a lot of of that in my grandkids. They are a precious resource for the future. I hope they can repair what the last hundred years have wrought upon the planet.