I am simplifying my life. For some time now I have been regularly hauling out of my house various boxes and bags of things that no longer serve me. As I have been recently finishing up preparing the house to sell this spring, I've been getting rid of even more stuff because I only want to take with me that which brings me joy or makes my life better in some important way. Everything else I am either donating to others or recycling if possible. .
I've sometimes found it difficult to decide what to keep and what to give away, but one thing that has made it easier is remembering that things are simply things. If I'm not able to take advantage of something fully right now, then I can simply be grateful for it and pass it on. Someone else may be looking for that exact item and would cherish it and use it all the time. When I think of it like that, it makes it much easier to let stuff go so it can find its way to where it will be best loved and fully utilized. By giving things away, I'm allowing appropriate redistribution to occur.
My house qualifies as a thing. In my many years of investing labor, time, and money in my current house, I have learned that a house is not necessarily a home. You carry home with you. When a house no longer meets your needs, it can be released to someone else that it suits perfectly.
In the same vein, this blog space also qualifies as a thing. What inspired me to create this blog and the spirit with which I have written here for the last year and a half are part of me and cannot be left behind. But the virtual space I take up here is something that I am choosing to let go of right now in the interest of moving forward with new endeavors in a fresh way. This blog has brought me great joy, and I am choosing to look at it as a mosaic. It is made of bits and pieces of me, and those bits and pieces which truly reflect me (which is pretty darn near the whole thing) I take with me, and put together into a stronger me in new ways. Anything else I leave behind.
I take the words I have written with me, but I also leave them here in this blog space because I believe in them and I still wish to share them with anyone who finds and connects with them. That part of me will continue to reside here.
It is in gratitude that I release so many of my belongings. It is in gratitude that I release my house. And it is in gratitude that I move on from this blog space. Each of these things that I release has contributed in a special way to who I know myself to be. And I am forever grateful for that.
If you have felt any of the words written here, I feel blessed to have shared a special connection with you. That connection will be carried with me always, for it is truly timeless. Thank you. I wish you great joy, peace, and fun.
Earlier this year I was perusing the program guide to a local community center, planning to sign up for my favorite yoga class, when something new to me caught my eye -- a class called Zumba. The description read:
"Inspired by Latin dance and music, Zumba uses a variety of styles in its routines, including cumbia, merengue, salsa, reggaetón, hip-hop, mambo, rumba, flamenco, calypso, and salsatón. Music selections include both fast and slow rhythms to help tone and sculpt the body with easy to follow dance moves!"
I had been looking forward to signing up for my yoga class and had a window in my schedule that was just perfect for it. I love so many things about yoga and I had decided I wanted to have some more formal instruction again. I had really missed it. So when I saw the description for the Zumba class, I said...
"SIGN ME UP!... I can sign up for yoga some other time."
I have a thing for Latin music. I have a thing for all music, really, but Latin music has a prominent place in my heart. Maybe it's because I grew up with the Latin-inflected horns of Herb Alpert and Chuck Mangione blowing out of the speakers in our living room. Or maybe it's because of the happy memories I have of being a sixteen-year old living in Mexico, hoofing it in the discotecas without having any idea what I was doing. Maybe it's because of all the time I spent listening to the mix-tapes of popular and folk music from Mexico that my first boyfriend (whom I met when I was that sixteen-year old in Mexico) used to make for me. Or maybe it's because I fell in love with the beauty of flamenco when I later lived in Spain.
Or it could be because of the teenage baseball players from Puerto Rico who stayed in our home several years ago on an exchange program. They were responsible for introducing me to reggaetón. Even though I wasn't old enough to be their mother at the time, they called me "Mom," which cracked me up, and I'd drive them around the streets of our midwestern city with the windows rolled down and Daddy Yankee pouring out at full volume. They all knew and sang every word. The three of them and I had a lot of fun together. I would take my camera and zoom lens to their games to capture them in action and later they'd go with me to print out the pictures. We would share with each other in English and Spanish and learn new things all around. We laughed and encouraged each other. Every time I hear reggaetón music now, I remember those boys and wonder what adventures they are having now. They wove their way fully into my heart. And Latin music has woven itself over and over again into the fabric of my life.
So when I read about the Zumba class, I thought it sounded like it was right up my alley. I was excited about it and I did sign up right away. However... on the day that the class was to begin, I happened to be having a very unusual day of world smiteliness (that would be the opposite of world smileyness). I was feeling out of sorts. I don't even remember now what triggered it, but it was probably just several little things compounded by lack of sleep or something. For whatever reason, I felt draggy. I couldn't get excited about going to a new class and the thought even crossed my mind not to go.
But fortunately, my mental override was functioning and it didn't pay any attention to that little thought. Instead, it reminded me of the excellent advice that my aunt had previously given me during a very difficult time: "This too shall pass." I knew if I went to class I would feel better.
So I did. I went to class and I had an absolute blast.
Zumba was new to me because it is fairly new to my current geographic area, but it's been around a while. You may have experienced it already, and if you haven't it is probably available at a fitness center near you. If you want to see if there's a class near you, click here. It has been a steadily growing phenomenon because IT'S FUN! Their tag line is "Ditch the workout, join the party." (Okay!)
There are actually many different kinds of world music used in the class, not just Latin. African, Middle Eastern, and other styles are also prominently featured. You don't have to have any dance experience either. Many of the moves are simple and some are more complex, but you learn as you go. Instructors just do their thing and you follow along. There are 10-12 songs or so used during each class, each with different choreography, but it gets easier each time as your body remembers.
I have a lot of favorite music right now that is used in Zumba, but one style that I especially have fun with is the cumbia. There is something about its gallopy rhythm that is just happy. Beto Perez, the founder of Zumba, has this to say about Cumbia:
"Most people don't know that Cumbia (one of Colombia's national dances) originated in the African slave quarters. Despite being chained, slaves loved to dance, and so they would drag the foot that was chained to the wall. That's why today Cumbia dancers drag one foot."
That is the spirit of the music that speaks to me. It says, "I am here, I am going to dance, and nothing can stop me. Let's go!" And in that spirit, I've shared below some of my favorite Latin and other world songs (from Zumba and elsewhere) for you to enjoy if you like. If you've ever had any impulse to spin your heel out on the floor in front of you and then step it back (or move in any other way that feels good to you), these songs are for you... beginning with the Celia Cruz salsa classic "La vida es un carnaval," which really says it all.
Out of all the newer songs I've been introduced to through Zumba, "Cumbia pa' la nena" by Bachaco is my favorite at the moment. Bachaco is a talented, fun ensemble of young world musicians based in Miami. They have this one song on itunes, but there's no video out yet, and their first album hasn't been released yet, so if you want to check out the full song (which I recommend), you'll have to listen via the music player on their Myspace page.
The song below is by Ozomatli, who describe their particular brand of musical fusion as a conglomeration of all the different types of music you hear coming out of car windows when you drive around their city of Los Angeles. This song, "La Gallina," is about having a chicken stolen. The chorus advises "suelta la gallina y libérate," which means "let go of the chicken and free yourself." :-) I love these guys. If you like this one, you might also like dancing to their song "Can't Stop" or jamming to my personal favorite "Cumbia de los muertos."
This next song, "Sazón" by Oro Sólido, is a zippy little merengue for those who want to see if they can keep up. Whew!
"Sacúdelo" (which loosely translates as "Shake it") by Willy Chirino & Los Tres Gatos is one of my favorites because it's mixed up just right. You get to do your gangsta walk, shimmy to the horns, and do turns with your arms all in a flourish overhead. Plus lots of other fun stuff.
This song, "Waka Waka" by Shakira, has been played all over the place, but that's because it's so awesome and inspiring. "The pressure's on, you feel it. But you've got it all, believe it..."
This last one, "Hella Décalé" by DJ Mam's feat. Doukali & Soldat Jahman is a mixture of French and Arabic that is all feel-good. Pretty much all I understand is what sounds like "c'est pas compliqué" (it's not complicated) and something about going to the left and to the right. Simple enough. I don't know what "Hella décalé" means, but the song is definitely hella fun and I love it.
The Zumba web site states, "Our goal is to spread the philosophy of dispelling sacrifice and of loving everything you do, even your workout."
I totally support that philosophy, which is why I'm writing about Zumba here today. Even if you don't go sign up for a Zumba class, I hope that you have found something here that helps make today fun for you. Whatever you do today, I hope you love doing it. And if any little thoughts creep across the landscape of your mind that make you feel otherwise, just remember the most important pieces of musical wisdom from this post:
In the places I go, there are things that I see That I never could spell if I stopped with the Z. I'm telling you this 'cause you're one of my friends. My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends!
My alphabet starts with this letter called YUZZ. It's the letter I use to spell YUZZ-a-ma-TUZZ. You'll be sort of surprised what there is to be found Once you go beyond Z and start poking around!
So, on beyond Z! Explore! Like Columbus! Discover new letters! Like WUM is for Wumbus, My high-spouting whale who lives high on a hill And who never comes down till it's time to refill.
So on beyond Z! It's high time you were shown That you really don't know all there is to be known...
Today I say Happy Birthday (and thank you!) to Theodor Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss -- author, teacher, rhymer, fun timer, Sneetch drawer, nonsense endorser, you enthusiast, imagination celebrationist... and much, much, more.
Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world. ~ Maria Montessori
When I was between the ages of four and five, my grandmother's little turquoise Chevy Nova would pull into our driveway every morning to take me to preschool while my mom got my older brothers and sister off to their school. I would slide across the bumpy sewn ridges of black vinyl in the back seat of Mom-Mom's car, and we would be off to start our day. She was an assistant teacher at a Montessori school owned by a friend of hers, so she didn't just drop me off at school. We got to experience school together.
If you're not familiar with the Montessori method of education, it is named after Italy's first female physician, Maria Montessori, who became interested in education after careful observation of the children in her medical care. What she learned is best stated in her own words:
"Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment. The task of the teacher becomes that of preparing a series of motives of cultural activity, spread over a specially prepared environment, and then refraining from obtrusive interference. Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master. Doing so, they will be witnesses to the unfolding of the human soul and to the rising of a New Man who will not be a victim of events, but will have the clarity of vision to direct and shape the future of human society."
Maria Montessori had observed that children are self-directed. They naturally and easily learn when they experience the world around them, and no one but the child can know what he or she wishes to further experience. Another of Dr. Montessori's quotes illustrates this concept beautifully:
"The roots of every plant seek out, from among the many substances which the soil contains, only those which they need."
The child's individual curiosity and satisfaction direct his or her learning. Therefore, under Montessori philosophy, a child's ability to develop to his or her full individual potential depends upon the richness of the surrounding environment as well as the amount of freedom the child is given to explore it to his or her heart's content. Just as rich soil and room for roots to grow help a plant to flourish, so do a rich environment and room to explore help a child to flourish.
Because of this, in Maria Montessori's view, a true educator does not lead the child, but instead follows the child's lead through careful observation of the child's growing interests and abilities. In this way, the teacher can ensure that appropriate materials are available to support those needs and abilities. Once the child knows how to adequately and safely find and use what he or she needs, the teacher assists when necessary, but otherwise pretty much gets out of the way.
In order to allow the greatest degree of freedom as well as to foster self-esteem, children are encouraged to be as independent as possible in a Montessori school. Supplies, tools, and learning materials are kept at a child's level and are open and accessible. Children are given guidance as well as assistance when necessary, but are expected to be able to serve themselves a snack when they are hungry, wash their own dishes, go to the bathroom when they need to, put away materials when they are finished with them, select new materials as they so desire, and clean up their own messes or spills.
Adults who are unfamiliar with this approach often expect that chaos might ensue with such an "unstructured" environment. However, structure does exist -- the teachers help provide a basic outline to the environment and trust the children to fill it out with themselves. And they do.
Children are excited to be able to do things for themselves. They naturally want to be responsible for themselves, grow in confidence, and master skills. They enjoy having their own space to help take care of if they are shown how and given the opportunity to do so freely. In fact, learning how to do these things independently becomes a huge part of the child's work and play. In this way, a teacher only intervenes when it is truly necessary, and the child's work/play is largely uninterrupted. Teachers teach by being and doing, not so much by talking. They share who they are and the skills they have. And they allow the child to experience life for herself.
I found the video below on the same lovely and creative web site that was the source of the photo at the beginning of this blog post. I have no idea what kind of schooling, if any, this child has had. She may have been solely influenced by her parents. I don't know. But the principles used are the important part. If you watch any part of four-year old Hana's work here, you'll see that she has definitely been given a rich environment along with oodles of freedom with guidance. If you're in a hurry, watch the beginning few minutes and then be sure to catch the very end. Also, one special moment is at around 4:50, when you can see Hana's face reflect the adult guide (probably a parent) who is with her.
Hana is a child who has mastered very advanced skills for her age because she has been given the opportunity to observe and work with a skilled person and then actually do the work herself -- probably many times in different ways. Also, it's clear that this is work that she enjoys and wishes to do. As a result, not only has she absorbed and mastered the task (including wielding a sharp knife totally responsibly), she can even call upon herself to address unexpected variations -- like the sauce packet falling in the bowl and later squirting everywhere -- with complete confidence and charm. She has observed someone else handling variations and has also been allowed to handle her own.
Last spring after my own daughter had been in Montessori preschool for a couple of years, I came into the bathroom at home one day to find her playing in the sink. She had filled a container with water, which happened to slip out of her hand and spill all over the floor at the moment I walked in. I gasped in surprise because it startled me. She looked at me, turned both hands up and shrugged and said, "I've made plenty of messes in my day!" I had to laugh at that one. I had never used that phrase with her, although it was a good one. I knew it had come from her teachers at school. She got out a towel, wiped up the floor, and went back to playing in the sink.
To enjoy freedom among other people requires a well-functioning community of individuals, so peace and respect are cornerstones of the Montessori philosophy. Teachers model respectful behavior with each other and with each and every child. Children are encouraged to use their own voices to talk out any disagreements with their friends, and teachers help them understand their impact on others and choose kind words. The world community is also brought into the classroom as much as possible, and cultural diversity is always a part of the curriculum, whether through specific materials, decorations, music, or special presentations.
When I attended my Montessori school with my grandmother so many years ago, we had native speakers of Spanish come in occasionally to teach us a bit of Spanish language. No one in my family spoke another language, and I had never heard anyone speak anything but English at that point in my life. But as soon as I heard someone speaking Spanish for the first time and realized that stream of trilly stuff actually meant something, I was totally hooked. I wanted to do that. I can still recall my astonishment at realizing that words are variable. I felt with every fiber of my little being that I wanted to learn everything I could about that. At four years old I had discovered my passion for language and communication, which has continued throughout my life to this day. Feeling that fire ignited in me at that early age was possible in my case because of the diverse and supportive environment I experienced in my Montessori classroom.
There are many other aspects of the Montessori approach that I feel are essential for a child's learning environment. For example, time is regularly spent outdoors in nature, nature is a part of the indoor classroom as well, multiple sensory experiences are available, materials encourage use of the imagination, etc. And there are other types of schools all over the world that I have discovered that follow many of the principles mentioned here plus other important ones. Montessori is just the example I'm most familiar with. There are also Waldorf schools and Krishnamurti schools, as well as individual schools like Tara Redwood School in California and Summerhill in England (check these out if you have time, because they're all very inspiring in their own ways). And of course there are others, along with many parents who teach their children using these principles in their own homes.
Although approaches may vary somewhat, the most important element that all these schools and teachers share, in my opinion, is that they give the child the opportunity and the freedom to hear his or her own inner creative voice and express it. And it is no coincidence that the schools mentioned above also all share a common interest in serving the planet and society as a whole. They recognize, because it is their experience, that when the true inner voice comes forth, it hears echoes of itself in all that is. The child becomes herself/himself, experiences herself/himself as the world, and is therefore motivated to help care for it.
However, even if that weren't the case, the world still becomes that much better simply because a child is authentically expressed. And that is always a beautiful experience.
