The Field Trip & Ode to grade two...

While waiting single file in the lineup on the sidewalk, colourful, shiny superheroes, fuzzy and furry backpacks and gear in tow, Goldilocks twin, and my grandsons serious crush since kindergarten, looks up at me from her big blue eyes and says, "My daddy finally stopped drinking." then choked up and continued with, "We were going to have to leave him." Silence fell. Now multiple eyes were set on searching my 'grown-up' soul for a response. I pray and say, "What a difficult thing for many to do. You must be so proud of him." She takes a deep breath in, nods and says, "Yes, it's been hard. We're very proud." She shines and a smile that says 'hope' spreads across her face. Friends embrace and uphold her, then a welcomed chatter continues with her peers encouraging words, agreeing and sharing some of their own stories of relatives who found their Spirit and the power of love outside the bottle, within.

And we're off to a great start! :)

I climbed the stairs of the big yellow school bus and greeted the driver to get a whiff of his breath, see the whites of his eyes and check his mood and character. Good morning. Smile. Check. Happy as a Meadow Lark, I scanned the bus for a free seat and was met with a teacher unlike Ms. Fizzle, who decided to deflate my mood by separating my grandson and I. I obey to diffuse and to be allowed on future field trips. Then to further her authority and personal attachment issues, with a glare stare she tells me I can sit alone. I feel scolded and flash back to a punishing pointer, yard stick, leather strap and time spent in the cloak room, alone and wondering why... looking to the Cedars and Mountains out the window, to save face. No sooner did the bus start to roll when two seven year old girls in a seat across from me get my attention with a "Psst" look at the teacher a few rows ahead and say to me, "You're not sitting alone. We're coming over to sit with you... if that's alright." Their emotional intelligence made me think of a lovely quote I learned from Chief Dan George~ And My Heart Soared.

They spoke of siblings and somethings about their parents, they likely should have left at home. The longest boogers and largest loogies some of their male classmates had ability to create and share. Of boo-boos, broken limbs and digits, finger nails being torn right off, mumps, measles, chicken pox and contagious diseases. Of farts that whistled and went on like a train chug-a-lugging down the tracks which segued, naturally to potty talk about boys sitting for #2, standing for #1 and those very strange thing called urinals. With a total seriousness one said, "They should never poo in that thing. There's no flusher! So gross!" Then they belly laughed.

Arriving at the interpretive center they told the teacher's they were my buddies and wanted to stay with me as their helper for the day. I'm not sure how much they realized they were my Helpers for the day. My grandsons real teacher included him and his closest friends in our group and the guide told us to all hold hands... to really see one another, know who was in our group and stick together. I looked over at the other teacher and held my tongue in but couldn't control my eyes that said "Take that you big gluteus maximus!" (in a good way of course) And we joyfully skipped down the paths to the learning stations within the Forest.

With generous Spirit's, lunches were traded and ever so freely shared with a few whose were forgotten or still hungry.

After experiential learning about all the great food sources and medicines of the Wetlands, Ponds, Streams and Rivers which help so many things in Land live, grow and thrive... with all our senses and third eye wide open, we stood, together, naming Salmon Eggs the children had hatched in their classroom.. Most were blessed with names like The Flash, Mario and Tinkerbell to empower their journey to the open Sea, then we released them, watching the first part of their journey, with big prayers on their teeny tiny fins for survival to return home, to possibly spawn again.

We had 2 very close calls because of the drivers speed, which sparked a conversation about the lack thereof seat belts for this precious cargo. Thankfully, the beautiful Alcedo atthis, Kingfisher Bird rose higher to bless us with a promise of prosperity and a safe return home to our loved ones. And our hearts soared.

Taken from a Reader's Digest: A grade two teacher explained to her students that they wouldn't jump of a bridge just because she did, to which a child replied, "I would. To make sure you were okay." :)

Thrive On Spirit Strong Everyone!

Yours truly,

Wendy