Palo Alto Fall 2011 Parent Night

Dear Parents, what a treat it was to share with you the other night.  You are such grand, thoughtful, skilled, wise and caring parents.  I am so blessed to be with you and your children this year. Truly.  I am also thankful to have Audrey and  Laurie’s gentle presence to add to the gentility of this particular group of children.

As I think over the night  I believe I might have scared some of you off of coming to some Tender Tracks days.  I wish NOT to do that. Please, if you wish to join, of course your children will be a bit different but, you will get the Tender Tracks experience and your children just love it when you do come so let us find a way to meet as many needs as we can here.

I also wish to more fully address the desire, for some, to have me facilitate parent groups.  I am happy to do so even if it is just for two folks.  Last year this request came about as well and I would like to provide this for those who feel they would benefit.

The Parent Teacher Conference calendar will be available within a week. If you need to talk right away just call and/or email me and we will find a time.

And lastly,  here are the quotes that I read to you. May they bless you as much as they do me:

Excerpt from: The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have.
by Mark Nepo

We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are
When beneath every attitude is the want to be loved
And beneath every anger is a wound to be healed
And beneath every sadness is the fear that there will not be enough time
When we hesitate in being direct we unknowingly slip something on, some added layer of protection
That keeps us from feeling the world
And often that thin covering is the beginning of a loneliness
Which if not put down diminishes our chances for joy
It’s like wearing gloves every time we touch something
And then forgetting we chose to put them on
We complain that nothing feels quite real
In this way our challenge each day is not to get dressed to face the world
But to unglove ourselves
So that the doorknob feels cold
And the car handle feels wet
And the kiss good-bye feels like the lips of another being
Soft and unrepeatable

“May today there peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in your self and others.  May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.  May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us”