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Preface to Leaves of Grass

I re-blogged Distraction and Love yesterday. John posted it originally at What is Real True Love? He followed up to comment and left a long, wonderful comment with quotes. What distracts us? I only ask and answer that question when I have the space and solitude. It is in those moments that I can hold my questions and have enough compassion to receive the answers. I was led to this passage by Walt Whitman from John’s comments. I gently question my facts and truths, learned throughout my life in the quiet of meditation and prayer.

I love his beard and hair. When I grow up, I might look like him. I hope to find the wisdom Whitman spoke of so eloquently. Enjoy.

“Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote you income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take your hat off to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul your very flesh shall be a great poem.”

 

About ivonprefontaine

I have been an educator for almost 20 years. Prior to that, I worked in private industry for 15 years, then returned to university to earn my education degree. For the past 11 years, I have been a co-creator of learning in a unique, progressive, alternative educational school of choice. Currently, I am engaged in a doctoral program at Gonzaga University in Spokane. A main theme in my learning there has been the roles of systems thinking, complexity theory, and organizational theory, and how they apply to education generally and the learning environment I share with students, parents, and colleagues.

23 Responses »

  1. Thank you for sharing Whitman’a wisdom! Have a nice weekend!

    Reply
  2. And I love your post. And I love the way Whitman’s words sings the body electric!!!

    Reply
  3. Excellent post!!
    Thank you!
    All the best.
    Shane

    Reply
  4. Thoughtful post! Thanks for sharing, Ivon :) Have a nice weekend :)

    Reply
  5. One of my favorite Whitman passages. Your desire to look like him when you get older makes me smile..

    Reply
  6. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”
    I like this quote from Walt. Thanks for sharing yours :)

    Reply
  7. Good tips in that list.

    Reply
  8. I’ll await the Whitman look!

    Reply
  9. I love Walt Whitman far too much!

    Reply

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