With Many Thanks to Our Golden Families

I often think of the scripture passage, The Parable of the Sower. In this story, Christ talks about different kinds of seeds and the planting of those seeds. I always think the point of this story is "early psychology." It describes the gamut of personalities and how those personalities work or fail to work in the world.

When I think of the people who have graced our school over the years, it's hard not to place most of them with one of the personalities in the Parable of the Sower. Students, parents, teachers, friends, volunteers, etc., all come to mind when I hear this parable read. The names go flying through my mind either with a sigh or a smile.

The whole point of the Garden School is to be a "first school." We are a place where children can leave the safety of their homes and experience school to its fullest, but at the same time still have some of the flavor of home. We are the in between place, the garden between the house and the street - a fun zone.

In order to provide this, the people we employ, the people who volunteer, we, who own and run the school as well as the parents who spend time with us all contribute one way or another to the garden known as the Garden School.

In fifteen years, with a crew of between three and eight employees at any time, we have employed twenty people total. That means our turn over is outstanding. As I look back, I see how each of our employees fits into one of the categories of Christ's Sower Parable. Some of them were quick to come and go as if the birds of the sky plucked them away. Some others came, spent some very enthusiastic time and then quickly faded. Others came with problems they will struggle with all their lives, and no matter the environment, no matter the help or the love, no amount of comfort is going to mitigate the problems. And some have come, spent their time wisely, and have gone on to other things because these people were originally planted well in deep rich soil, and the Garden School was a hot house to spend growing.

All planting belongs to parents, after all, and like our twenty employees, so it is with the students who have graced our school these fifteen years. Some children have come to us, and within weeks are plucked away. One parent was furious to find out that her child would go on field trips would have parties and special events. The child was with us three days. Some children spend a few months and then stop coming for a hundred reasons, parents lose interest because the world is calling and the grass might be greener someplace else.

Lastly, and for the majority, there are the students come to us with great and good parents who with great enthusiasm, maintain that special charm, who push away the world and let their child experience everything the Garden School has to offer. These people get involved and stay involved. Their children do well, and graduate to a great career as strong delightful scholars ready for the world.

And among these families, are the very special golden people. These parents contribute in many very special ways. They help us manage what is sometimes a huge job. Every year we have a couple of golden families, people doing things we can't do ourselves. Contributions of all kinds, and the truth is, without these families, our job would be ten times as hard, and our program not nearly as nice.

This past weekend two of our Golden families put a fence in for us at the Garden School. There is no way we could have done this ourselves. The work was hard, it rained, there were many difficulties, and yet there was not a single complaint. Jeremy and Rhonda Ross, and Bruce Miller spent a whole weekend digging, measuring, sawing, and using skills I only dream of having to help us with this enormous project. They finished it beautifully. We could not have asked for more.

These are the parents who are golden to us. These are the joys of a small business. These people could not have come to do this if they were not planted on the very best of soils and regularly yield a hundred times what was originally planted. The children of these parents are blessed because the example these parents are offering in a world of uncertainties, is the deepest, finest soil there is. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

To every child, no matter if that child is with us one day or three years, be assured that we will love them all no matter what. We will give to each child as much as we can, and we will take every child as far as he can go. We ask only that every child take away with him something of value, something that he will be able to use to stay planted well and thrive for his whole life. If we can be a part of this, then our job has been done well.

We thank Bruce and Rhonda an Jeremy with all our love.