Etched in my consciousness is “Follow the Child” from my Montessori years teaching grades 4-6.

For me, it never meant “walk behind and be co-pilot”. And heavens no…it never ever meant “close your eyes and follow”.

Adults need to be adults. We have experience, which is key.

But have we not lost some measure of freshness, of innocence?
How often do we practice seeing clearly and telling the truth?
Telling it like it is?

For me, Follow the Child means OBSERVE.

So here we are.

Observe — stop, look and listen.
Be silent, Be humble.

What are children pointing to?
What are children pointing to
in themselves, in us?

Let’s ALL Open the Heart
and tell the truth.

No more hiding.
No more lies.

Calling long and deep
into the bottomless well of myself,
to my heart, I posed a wordless question
that water–free–be invited to speak.

So I listened I paused and listened–
opened, I dissolved
fear in me.

Water of my hands
woke up, sprung up.

Water of my feet.

Water of my eyes,
my brain.

There were no parts of me
my invitation was not reaching.

Little baby faces all that water was–
and each, an innocence,
a living breathing star.

And therein
other starry lights.

Green azure golden
shot high all around me.

Rainbows spinning, under and over-lacing,
composed a heaven’s tapestries.