what I'm learning in school

I haven't had much time for blogging lately...heck, I've barely had time to breathe! What with the stress of school (still continues to be a MUCH harder adjustment than I ever expected) and what seems to be waves of stress coming from various and sundry directions, I feel like I'm in a mode of just keeping my head down and surviving on a daily basis. However, I must say, that even in the midst of being swamped with school, I am at least learning things along with my kiddos! Lots of stuff that we've covered have even related to the current swirl of politics of this election time.

I'll quickly share two things that were particularly striking. First were some things that one of the 'teachers' (via video) from Kate's history curriculum said. He pointed out that if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. He spoke of the many similarities between the slavery debate of our civil war era and the debate surrounding the abortion issue of today. He remarked that the parallels are "stunning and obvious". He also said the following:

We never argue so eloquently as when decrying the crimes of past generations, and we are never so blind sometimes when we assess the holocaust living in our own time.

He continue to point out that "the place of history in our life is profound. If we can learn what the same kinds of people, dealing with the same kinds of moral paradoxies were dealing with in the past" that we could gain much insight into how to change our world today.

On a few other points he also had these quotes that I thought were worth remembering:

(Regarding history revisionism)
"He who controls the present controls the past, and he who controls the past controls the future."

(On society - I found this one encouraging in some senses, as I see a rise in the arts within the Church)
"At first art will imitate life, and then life will imitate art; soon life will take its very existence from the arts."


Bryce's literature last week also contained a fable that I think everyone in Washington, embroiled in partisan accusations, could stand to read and learn from.

Aesop's Fables

Translated by George Fyler Townsend

The Father and His Sons (or "The Bundle of Sticks")

A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."

"Union gives strength."