“All that is required of you is a willingness to trudge. There is no point in hurrying because you are not actually going anywhere. However far or long you plod, you are always in the same place: in the woods. It’s where you were yesterday, where you will be tomorrow. The woods is one boundless singularity. Every bend in the path presents a prospect indistinguishable from every other, every glimpse into the trees the same tangled mass. For all you know, your route could describe a very large, pointless circle. In a way, it would hardly matter. At times, you become almost certain that you slabbed this hillside three days ago, crossed this stream yesterday, clambered over this fallen tree at least twice today already. But most of the time you don’t think.” Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods*
However, from start to finish Bill hiked 870 miles! You have to say that slowly. Eight. HUNDRED. Seventy. MILES. By. Foot.
We are doing something similar. A 20-minute lesson. A three to four-hour day, multiplied by 36 weeks. Then magnified by the number of years we homeschool. And if we have done our job well, and God’s blessing is on them, it is then magnified by the number of years that child of ours is alive. This is education. We trudge. They trudge. And we cover ground. Lots and lots of ground. Even if it seems like we are walking on the treadmill at times.
*I love the book A Walk in the Woods. It is so funny that when we were listening to the audiobook, I would sometime have to pull the car over, because I couldn’t see through my tears! My son commented that to read this book without cracking up must mean you have the greatest self control EVER or you have no sense of humor. However, my note here is to let you know that we quit listening to the audiobook, because I found that the book needed a little censoring. I’m back to reading it aloud.
What an incredible analogy, Nicole. Encouraging indeed!!
This is a wonderful post. Truly wonderful.
Thank you!!! This can apply to so many things…motherhood, marriage…just one choice upon another. One step at a time.
I feel like I'm just starting to understand this, and it is bringing me such peace! Listening to Cindy Rollins' CIRCE talk about morning time was an incredible light bulb moment for me a couple of years ago. It took a good year (and another listen or two) as it slowly began to percolate through my brain, but it bearing fruit in my planning and in our lives. A couple phrases stick in my mind – Cindy describing herself as "a plodder", "educating for the long haul", and of course, "Rome wasn't built in a day!"
Trudging. It doesn't sound like much. But it can take you so many places, in the end. I have enjoyed exploring your blog today, and have taken away much encouragement for many areas of our homeschooling life. Thankyou.
Nicole,
I am wondering if you thought you would post anytime soon on how you collectively do dictation in your family. We start our new school year in two weeks, and I would love to understand how you combine this! I planned this year with your matrix and form schedule, and was so thankful to have that to help me be accountable to not plan too much! We also are going to try the timer as well, and I have ordered several so each person can have one to keep track of their own work. I have REALLY utilized your resources this year, so thank you, thank you!!
I love this book too! I laughed so hard when his friend threw their coffee filters over a cliff and then they had to make coffee with toilet paper! Oh, my. I might have to re-read it!