topics swirling together in this brain of mine...

what can i say about the devastation that is occuring in asia? how can i begin to marvel at the force of mother nature? besides donating to relief efforts, how else does one respond to such tragedy?

i find myself thinking about Reggio Emilia, a small town in Italy. Following the devastation of WWII, the town turned to early childhood education as a means for rebuilding their community, as a source of hope for the future. and now

Hailed as an exemplary model of early childhood education (Newsweek, 1991), the Reggio Emilia approach to education is committed to the creation of conditions for learning that will enhance and facilitate children's construction of "his or her own powers of thinking through the synthesis of all the expressive, communicative and cognitive languages" (Edwards and Forman, 1993). ~ Source

Maria recently taught me about partner emotions. She explained that for every emotion, there is at least one partner emotion...light-hearted joy intimately knows it's partner of sadness and sorrow:

How easily our emotional partners are switched. Skipping along, skip,skip,skip, a sunny happy day and my heart is light. I trip "oh no" as I stumble I reach out my arms to try to catch my fall. Its dark now and the rain drops fall from my cheeks. I stand back and observe and learn as the partner of sadness steps in. Deep breath in accepting and knowing that lightness is patiently waiting to return! I will smile again.

in this moment i am thinking about the partnership between devastation and hope. powerful how they fit together, eh?

in honor of hope and inspiration, i am thrilled to introduce my dear friend, Maria Zimlich to you. i've been honored and blessed to get to share in her enthusiasm for life and the whole-heartedness with which she openly embraces the opportunity to be a mother and to witness, love, and parent her children in the incredible journey of growing, of being, of experiencing life. i've pleaded with her to come and share at easily amazed her stories of parenting, her experiences as a living being, and her honest and radiant perspective of life. here's a taste of the deliciousness to come.

Story! "Mama you don't love me anymore" said my 6 year old son. I stopped in my tracks turned and looked straight at him, I raised my eybrows and smiled, he returned the same facial expression for he remembered that when ever he thought I did not love him to come and tell me and I would give him a very special hug and kiss. This went on for another five times (laughing and playing) as after 50 kisses and hugs he was now convinced he was loved... I am able to express my love through the eyes of my child and in a way for him to understand in his world.

may we express our love to one another (children and adults) in ways in which we are each able to understand... for in doing so, we inspire hope in humanity. welcome to easily amazed, maria. have fun!