Slowing down to see…
This post originally appeared in Dr. 瑞秋一. Larimore’s weekly Samara newsletter on August 3, 2021. If you’re interested in receiving these emails, scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe. Please note, some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click through and pay for a product, Samara Early Learning will be compensated at no cost to you.
How are things in your world? I hope you’re doing well and finding moments of serenity in what continues to be a stressful, worrisome time.
A couple days ago it was an absolutely beautiful, cool and sunny late Summer morning. As I was getting ready for the day, I found myself leaning on the bathroom windowsill totally mesmerized by a juvenile robin. It was balanced on the edge of the miniature pool I have for my dog Hank. It kept leaning down like it really wanted to get a drink or even splash in the water but was unsure.
的 young bird eventually moved to the patio table where it was watching another robin furiously looking for insects in my gutters. (Yeah, I really need to clean those, but the birds!) I realized I was curiously watching a curious young bird curiously watch another bird. 的n I was distracted by a red squirrel walking the top of the fence and two house sparrows squawking. Not what most would describe as thrilling entertainment. And yet—it WAS thrilling!
That’s when it occurred to me—this is what nature-based learning and connection is all about. It’s about slowing down long enough to see the dynamics of a moment. Nature is ever-changing and never the same twice. That’s part of the wonder of it all.
的 robin moment also reminded me of the power of what Bridget Butler* (的 Bird Diva)调用 缓慢的观鸟. 的 idea is to deepen our observations, listening, and connection. As I looked out the window, I realized I’d never really looked carefully at the markings of a juvenile robin. (的 speckled breast, that is characteristic of thrushes, was so distinct on this young one!) I was also giggling as it considered leaping into the pool—an emotional connection!
My seemingly absent-minded moment looking out the window highlights that nature connection isn’t “somewhere else.” Nature is where we are, it’s part of us, it’s everywhere! If you’ve attended a workshop 与 me or read my books you’ve heard me talk about disrupting the human/nature divide, what counts as “nature,” and where nature is. 的 very human-built backyard patio space 与 the plastic pool, patio furniture, and fence aren’t what most would define as “natural” and yet nature was all around—waiting for me to pause and notice.
对于许多, August marks the return to the frenzy of the school year, but I hope you’ll be able to find a few more moments to pause and notice the wonders of nature for yourself. In the process I hope you’ll also be reminded that…
🍃 this work is important and magical!
🍃 nature is everywhere—even in the most urban spaces—we just have to pause and notice
Keep changing lives,
瑞秋
瑞秋一. Larimore, Ph.D., Chief Visionary of Samara Learning
*Bridget Butler (aka, “的 Bird Diva”) presented a Focus Call 与in 的 Grove community. You can access this recording by joining 的 Grove today!
关于瑞秋
Dr. 瑞秋一. Larimore is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, and former nature-based preschool director. As the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning her work focuses on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Learn more about 瑞秋 here.
