Week in Review - Musings on Patterns

Hi. This week was an interesting mix of emotions and untangling. I suppose the "untangling" word is one which i use to describe untangling emotions - or at least getting to the point where the mind goes beyond what is happening and questions what the best course of action is, if any.

My schedule was totally 'disabled' this week. My morning meditation was thrown askew by one of my sons being out-of-school sick and having to go to the doctor. Two other mornings, my other son missed his bus, which means i need to drive him to school. Dealing with change is not always easy for me.

One of the other days, i fulfilled my roomparent duties by going into the classroom with an art project for the kids to complete with me. This was an extra duty, which i was feeling a bit resentful about when i was first told of it. Since i have a new job, i don't get paid for the time i miss from work. So any volunteer time during working hours is time i don't get paid for. bummer. Well, the experience was interesting. I shopped for the materials for the project and then had to schedule time to come into the classroom. While i was in the classroom, the energy was so diverse and kinetic, if i was a student there, it would be difficult for me to learn anything. The teacher was there, one substitute, and a high school volunteer. While i was there for the hour, the teacher and the substitute talked - the substitute read the newspaper - and the high school volunteer texted on her telephone. I worked with two or three kids at a time to complete the project, and the rest of the time, kids played in groups around the room. It was loud, and i was dismayed, since every time i have observed the classroom, it is a similar situation. I feel sorry for the kids.

One of my observations with the class project is that the kids kept trying to create patterns in the art. I would have them pick out a flat sided glass "stone" and glue it onto a platter or candle holder. The concept of wanting to follow a pattern was prevalent with all of the kids, some more than others. I had the opportunity to observe how it bothered some of them when a pattern wasn't the object...and because i would alternate who gave me the stone, it was impossible for the kids to make a pattern unless they communicated and had agreement among them, which was very rare. From my vantage point, i could see that i have done that in many areas of my life...looking for patterns to make sense out of it. Perhaps it is human nature to create patterns, prefer patterns as a sense of beauty, or find a sense of control and stability in pattern.