Go

This morning one of my favorite children's authors, Patricia Polacco, posted the following Henry David Thoreau quote on her facebook page:

Go confidently

in the direction

of your dreams!

Live the life

you've imagined.

Ms. Polacco has allayed my fear of thunderstorms in Thundercake and, when we happened to meet her on our cross-country bicycle trip, she encouraged us with a meal, allowed me to fawn over her and take a fan picture with her.

By the time she mailed me a couple autographed books at the end of our trip, I'd taken a job as an assistant at Augsburg Park Montessori School.

Today, 5 years later, I prepare myself to say "goodbye" to this part of my journey.  I have grown up in this community: from assistant to lead teacher. I have learned many lessons here, most importantly: to love steadily, to receive love readily.

Now I must try to "go confidently." I must trust my dreams, the intuition that tells me westward IS their direction, even if staying would be so much easier, so much more comfortable.

Dear Children, My dream for you is that you "live the life you've imagined." Whether that be to grow up into a hammer, a nail, or an octopus; to travel to California, Alaska, Texas, Hawaii; to grow up to live on every continent; to be a mom, dad, or vet. To be the best friend to all your friends. To lead. But most of all, to know and trust yourself.  I have enjoyed watching each of you current and former students (and younger siblings, too!) and coworkers teach me to do this.