I am reminded of the story of Honi ha-Maegel, Honi the Circle-Drawer. He is a kind of rabbinic Rip Van Winkle. He tells a story of how he planted some carob trees, which take a generation or more to come to fruition. As he was planting, a young man said to him: "Why are you planting those trees, old one? You will not live to eat their fruit." Honi replied, "I plant for those who will come after me."
Picture by Elisheva Levin, Marin County, CA 17 August 2007
When I was growing up, I was told that my generation was the future. The future of our country, the future of our people and the future of the world. We were like the acorns that drop from the oak tree. We could grow to be fruitful or not. But now as I approach the beginning of my sixth decade on the planet, I am coming to realize that I am one of the oak branches, and it is the children that I am raising who are the future. And the world keeps on turning. As our children become our future, we hope to leave with them a lasting legacy.
As homeschoolers, we are often told by others that they cannot imagine spending so much time with their children. And, although we know we are giving up other things, such as the power career, we have a reason for educating our children ourselves. We want to pass on to them our values, our wisdom and the wisdom of those that came before us. We want to spend time with our children, and we do this to leave with them our lasting legacy.
This week, COH 109: Leaving A Legacy, posted over at Life on the Road, is up to support our efforts, and to let us share the joys of our little and not so little living legacies! Stop by and share ideas, laughter and tears--all those little moments of light and shadow--that add up to our most lasting legacy.
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