The Newness of the Year

Hi all,

Happy New Year. Happy New Decade.

To sum up this year, I've had a roller coaster of shocks and horrors. I've had swings and roundabouts of downs and ups. I have had distorted mirrors throwing up daft reflections. I've missed a few ducks floating past in the circle of bright water. I've changed and grown.

I've been astounded and dumbstruck by the idiocy of those I thought knew better than me. And now I know that I am my own measure, I need no other. I am confidence herself as she unfurls her beautiful petals because I seek not to trammel any wild thing.

I wish everyone goodness. I seek not to conspire to hurt or grieve another human being. I no longer think that what I think is right for another person IS right for another person.

I wish with my aching heart that the world was fair and full of undeniably radiant spirits who care for other people and desire the best for them. But I haven't aways found that.

I hate jobsworths and interferers and those who look at me and know what I am and look down their sharp noses at me because I don't dress in Donna Karan outfits or tote Lulu Guinness bags or totter around in Jimmy Choos. My dog knows me and loves me and sticks his wet muzzle on my knee in the confidence that I won't belt him because he's ruined a fortune in clothing. He knows I'll ahh and stroke his loving little face.

What I can say, from the debris of my belief in politics, politicians and local authorities, is that whoever picks up the pieces from the disaster caused by a wrong decision should be the very one considering and making the decision in the first place.

I cringe at the thought of seeing all those little ones who were damaged by school being forced back into their cages by mechanical actions of clockwork toy public servants.

I thrill at the thought of being part of a group of people who will not lie down and be walked all over by big government and small cogs in dreadful institutions. I am amazed at one group of human beings who have risen to every challenge, knocked their blocks off working and thinking and evaluating and re-evaluating and calculating and writing and re-writing to protect the dwindling rights that we parents are scrambling to hang onto. I speak, of course, of home educators.

What a bunch of splendid people.

Awesome!

Thank you all for standing your ground, for going the extra mile, for engaging the treadmill, for challenging evil and just generally being so wonderful.

Here's to a year full of success for every person whose child or children are educated or who are educating from a home.

You're just the very best.