Unschooler's Grief CELEBRATION Week

What a week it's been. This has been a powerful week with great reminders from brave and wise women.

First from Diana Jenner, who always reminds us all that we need to help our kids enjoy their life RIGHT NOW, 'cause we don't know what their future may be, or if they will have a future. February 24, 2006 her nine year old daughter, Hannah, crossed over to join her dad, Mitch. Nine years old! She lived a life of value and joy, friends and fun. Her short life continues to gain in value with every family who hears the lessons she has for us, every parent who is frustrated with their kid and who stops and thinks of Hannah and turns that frustration into gratitude for the pure joy of getting to be with their child in that moment.

While I never got to meet Hannah, I've had the great pleasure of getting to know her brave and wise mom. I can't help but get joy from her sobering message. She celebrates life more than anyone I know, and she has lost so much more than most. I want to always carry Diana's spirit of LIFE with me, no matter what.

On Monday the unschooling community lost a truly bright spirit in Lisa Heyman. I just met her in September - I shared a couple of meals with her at the Live and Learn Conference - but she really touched me, as she does most people she meets. After L&L she and her daughter Roxy started coordinating teen unschooling gatherings in NY. Every time I saw the invitation on the L&L list I wished we were close enough for my daughter to go. Finally this spring we decided that we would just host our own here in Oregon, so I emailed Lisa and Roxy to find out how it was working for them. A few days later I received a thoughtful, detailed reply from both of them with the closing from Lisa of an invitation to come visit. I didn't really pay much attention to the invitation at the end of the email until I was reading through some of the posts on the Tribute to Lisa blog. One of the other unschooling moms mentioned that she always closes with a sincere invitation, so I went back to my email from Lisa and sure enough, "PS if you ever want to make a trip east – we’re an hour north of Manhattan and it’s always fun to host fellow unschoolers."

I encourage you to go to the tribute blog and read about this wonderful woman. She is a bright spirit whose physical light went out too soon for most folks, but whose spirit will shine on and illuminate the lives of many families. She is an inspiration.