The Forest

After not drawing for many weeks, we finally are drawing again. Here are pictures from the Human and Animal Main Lesson. They start with the Forest Habitat.

The mammals of the forest

I loved doing this - for a very long time i did not know how this would pan out. I wasn't sure how it would be with the telling them about the animals. But since the class are very used to drawing since no age at all, the lesson consists of me giving them some facts about the animals, then drawing the animals.

We have done mammals this week - and we go into birds and then into insects and bivalves the week after. It has been great because i have managed to do the scientific name of the animal, do so  by way of explaining animal conditions such as albinism - alb means white, and so when we learnt that the barn owl was called Tyto Alba, they knew that the Alba in the name stood for. 

Foxes are Vulpes Vulpes, from where we get the adjective vulpine, and they have learnt nocturnal - come from noc meaning night and ... it goes on. We also get to learn about geography - since we are doing estuaries, 

The whole point of the ML is to give them a sense of connection with the animal world - the wild world, to show that we are responsible for it.

It has been an awful week. With the continued murder of innocent civilians. I wonder at Barack Obama's stupidity - or lack of morals and i wonder the same about Western governments. I can see this is all going to get worse before it get better simply because they point blank refuse to recognise it for what it is. They are in denial. They believe that they can do to the world what they did to Australia, New Zealand and North America. 

Maybe I am being cynical. Maybe. 

Honestly, i was very depressed this week because of the stupids. The responses of the conflict. But then yesterday something helped me to recover. I just thought, look there are two choices. To be dragged into a cesspool of misery, doom and despair, or to CHOOSE to be happy. To CHOOSE to a light. To CHOOSE to be helpful and kind and positive. To do as much as i can within the small remit that i have. I can choose this.

I also lay in bed last night thinking, actually, my life, my PERSONAL life is pretty good right now. Now i am happy and i give thanks for this happiness. I thought of Westminster Cathedral and the wonderful music and mosaics. I thought of the vapours of frankincense that wafted, and the tears of joy i cried. I am so lucky really. Personally lucky. I have my beautiful children whom i get to spend so much time with, i have relationships and family which are warm and kind and supportive, i have work which is meaningful and more than meaningful transformative, i get to explore wonderful places with fascinating people, i have my health - at the age of 44 no mean feat, i feel very in control of myself, a real growing feeling of self possession, i feel very little fear, i have no money worries... than i thought, at this point in time i was truly happy - i must remember that. Truly happy, and i said that to someone recently. I just want to let you know that i am very happy, really happy, and i want you to know that... i did not add that it was important to acknowledge this because one day, one day, it would all pass and i do not want to look back and regret that i did not enjoy that moment when it was there. This moment of peace and gratitude. One day i could be a Syrian refugee, one day i could face racism, one day i could be running too - but today i am not running. Today i am looking after my children and baking and gardening and drawing and cleaning my house and making beautiful things.

I think it is really important for me to remember that. It cannot be said too often. These are the things which we cling to, i cling to to keep me sane. Everything else is small potatoes.

This was not the picture i had intended to do for the ML's front cover, but it was the one we ended up doing. I think it perfectly illustrates that close relationship between us and animals, while also showing the difference between us and them. We owe animals a debt of gratitude because we have been evolving from them - our consciousness managed to enter the bodies that we have through their sacrifice. In so many ways we have a real duty to look after each other and them as well. The Waldorf curriculum is deeply deeply steeped in stewardship of the planet. We have a duty of care for where we live because we are part of it - every strand is connected.

The Meles Meles - the European Badger

I had not intended to do the barn owl - that only came at the last lesson when i thought it feels right to wrap it up with an animal which they would like to do - and they chose the barn owl. We identify so much with the predators - the animals which are so like us. It is really interesting.

Things are very simple really. Really really simple. Many things resolve themselves through time. This is evident. Give it time and things will sort themselves out. Why people feel the need to DO things always i do not know. I gave up being HERO a long time ago. Stand up for yourself and if others want to they will do so as well. There is no need to rescue someone else. And also listen. Do a lot of listening. Listening will get me very far. I have had to learn this the very hard way. I enjoy listening now.

For the rest of the day I will be working at the school. I do not know who is going to turn up, but that does not matter. I will be there, i will be showing up.

Then i will come home, have a hot bath and clean the house before heading back home to East Belfast. There has been so much learning this week. I am grateful for the learning as well. The learning has been profound and deep. And very humbling. I am afraid. I am really afraid of what the future brings because of the reaction of the West to what has happened. This is only going to get worse. The irony of this all is that Belfast and Northern Ireland has so much to teach the world about resolving a conflict. This only happen when people negotiate with each other. Yes, you will always get fringes of discontentment, but TALKING and respect and integrity with dignity is the only way we are going to sort this out.