… you’re never quite sure what colors you’re going to need. I have a lot of friends. Some I’ve had forever, some for years, some for a day or two, and they’re all important to me. I tend to turn to certain friends for certain things. I don’t usually call my childless friends to ask for parenting advice, or to my newest friend if I’m having a meltdown about my day. I often feel drawn to specific relationships depending on what I want to talk about. Some relationships are easy, the conversations range over absolutely everything, and the silences are golden. These are the crayons stubs disappearing into the bottom of my precious box of 64, with the paper torn off and nary a point to be found. Well used, well loved, and still colorful.
Sometimes I feel like I’m missing a color though. I start to realize I have the need of a new perspective, usually due to some change I’ve made in my life. When I started running a few years ago, I found some new race buddies and loved the chance to “talk shop” when I felt like it. I was supported wholeheartedly by my existing friends, but most of them weren’t into it to the point of wanting to discuss the minutae of tendonitis fears and pronation issues! Birds of a feather indeed.
My new homeschooling venture has left me with a similar pang, wanting to find a friendly face or two that I can share my specific fears, challenges, and questions with. I’m once again well-supported, but still want something more. How will the DOE react to my IHEP? How long does the transition from public school to home take for a 2nd grader? I’ve tooled around to a few homeschooling group outings, but not made any connections that felt like they had long-term potential. Perhaps I’m too hasty to make the call, but it’s not too hard to do if you run out of things to say in the first five minutes! I did make a connection today, however, that has the distinct possibility of becoming a crayon that loses it’s point rather quickly. Quite a lovely new shade, with words of wisdom that I needed to hear … and I feel more hopeful that this venture won’t be such a scary one.
How’s your box looking?