Summer is coming
to an end and many families are trying to squeeze in a few last outings before
autumn, and the changes it brings, begins.
Between trips to the beach and the zoo, we prepare for new classrooms, new
schools, new schedules, new clothes and new friends.
Sometimes the
excitement of activity and change in our lives can be quite draining.
Consider how many of us feel after a holiday, party or a family vacation. We may say, "Whew! That was a lot of
work. I am glad that it's over and things are back to normal!" It is
easy to enjoy our lives when they are rhythmical and steady. We have time
to just relax and soak it in, rather than always planning and wondering
"What's next?" As adults, we value our daily rhythms even as
our children depend on them. Usually, it isn't until our routine is
disrupted that we realize how we thrive as humans when our daily tasks are a
matter of course, leaving us to bask in the deeper essence of our existence.
To contemplate bigger questions than "Where is the next meal coming
from?" and "What will the next moment bring." The
structure we place in our lives allows us to experience peaceful presence.
Yet, there are
things in our lives that are intended to nudge us out of the ease of our
existence, to bring us together as a community and to transform us as individuals.
Holidays, festivals, community events and rites of passage elevate us from our
daily physical life into a spirit of joy, celebration and wonder. While
the elaborate preparations are often exhausting, we find that when we muster
enough resources to be truly present during the celebration, we are
lifted. The act of coming together, of passing into the next phase of
life, draws in unknown forces and replenishes us. Anthropologists call it
collective effervescence. Spiritualists refer to it as the cosmic consciousness,
the life force or the Holy Ghost. When children experience this coming
together, they carry the feeling with them for some time. Christmas carols are sung well into spring and
wedding ceremonies are reenacted again and again in their play.
Seasonal
festivals are one of the ways that we embrace life’s cycles and celebrate our
community at LifeWays. In autumn, we
illuminate the long night with our home-made lanterns and our radiant inner
light. Our summer festival is a beloved
tradition, an honored rite of passage and a time of joyful reflection and fond
farewells. As summer draws to a close and we begin to anticipate all the
changes that the new school year brings, we celebrate one another and the
transitions ahead. Families and
caregivers come together for a story, songs, a pot-luck lunch and a special
bringing ceremony to honor the children who are beginning kindergarten. The children help prepare for the festival by
making food with their caregivers and parents, gathering props for the puppet
play and polishing the bridge. Before
the festival, the bridge is decorated with rainbow silks and fresh
flowers. When all has been prepared, we
came together for our story. The story
is full of familiar landmarks and scenery to spark their imaginations and set
the scene for this tale of imminent change….
The Children of the Cedar Castle
By Miss Jaimmie
Once upon a time, there was a Cedar Castle at the
edge of an Enchanted Wood. The castle
was a magical place, especially for children.
It was filled with young friends who spent their days playing, working
and living together. They ate together
and they rested together. Many stories
were told and many songs were sung. Many,
many hours were spent exploring the Enchanted Wood. Butterflies and snakes, birds and squirrels,
fairies and spiders, deer and turkeys were among the children’s forest
friends. The seasons brought many new
and interesting things for the children to explore. From snowflakes to scilla, the enchanted
forest was full of beauty and wonder.
And so, the weeks and months and years passed, and the Cedar Castle and
enchanted forest were filled with joy and love.
One fine day, a few young friends went
for a stroll in the Enchanted Wood. They
walked further into the wood than they had ever walked before. They walked through the Clearing and beyond the
Story Rock. They walked down the Crookedy
stairs and along the riverside. On and
on they walked, beyond the Troll Bridge and the Jasper House. They walked and walked until they came to
place they had never seen before. There
in the heart of the enchanted forest was a magnificent crystal mountain made
all out of rose quartz. At the foot of
the mountain lay many shining quartz crystals.
The friends each took one crystal to remember their magical journey and
continued on their way.
The children walked on until they saw a most unusual
sight. A beautiful rainbow arced across
the blue sky and landed at their feet.
A lovely rainbow, see it span.
So brightly shining, o’er the land.
It is so red, gold, green and blue.
I want to climb it now with you.
The friends climbed the rainbow and when they
reached the top, they were amazed at all they saw. They could see the wide Enchanted Wood, the
Flowing River and the Quartz Mountain. They could see the Jasper House and the
Troll Bridge, the Crookedy stairs, Story Rock and the Clearing. They could see the Cedar Castle and the
village beyond. And when they looked
even further… they saw other castles.
The friends longed to explore the other castles. Perhaps, they too, were filled with happy,
playful children.
And so, with their hearts filled with love and eager
for adventure, the friends went, one by one, across the rainbow bridge to
explore the castles beyond. They spent
their days laughing, playing and learning with their new friends. And so it
was, that all of the children of the Cedar Castle, lived happily ever after.
We celebrated our summer festival
earlier today. The children who were
heading off to school gathered near their caregivers at the foot of the Rainbow
Bridge. They were given a piece of rose
quartz and a hug before they crossed the bridge, where their parents
were waiting with open arms. As the children
crossed, their caregivers and families sang:
Circle of
friends I love,
Let me tell you
how I feel.
You have given
me such treasures,
Circle round
again.
After
all of the kindergartners crossed the Rainbow Bridge, we sang our blessing, mingled, took a few snapshots and shared a meal. As
the families said farewell, a handful of people stayed back to tidy up after
the festivities. It was a full morning
and by the end of it all, I was ready to go home and lounge with a good book...
A few hours
later, my daughter and I happened to run into some LifeWays alumni at the
public library. The school-aged children
reflected on their journey across the Rainbow Bridge and my little one eagerly
chimed in that it will be her turn to cross next summer. Their mother told me about the LifeWays
friends that they still keep in touch with after all these years (my how they’ve
grown!). After visiting with our old
friends for a few minutes, it was time for us to go home to bake a cake for
grandma’s upcoming 75th birthday celebration. Circle round again….
So heartwarming!
ReplyDelete