Laura Nicole Garbers

Family Love

2012-01-03T15:10:00.003-06:00

With so many struggles and disappointments in life, it is sometimes hard to discern what it means to create family love. It always seems to point back to the person to person relationship. When a relationship fails, it is the divisive fault of both, and when a relationship succeeds, it is the triumphant cooperation of both. There are many wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers who are quick to point the finger and solely blame the other. However, this is neither honest nor fair.

In quoting Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, there is no doubt that "it takes two to make a thing go right". In every relationship, there is a living bond which can either be strengthened by both parties, leading to upward spirals of satisfaction and love, or torn apart by both parties, leading to downward spirals of separation and hate. It is vital for family love to flourish, to build up the power and potential of human society, yet it is the responsibility of both people in each relationship to give it their best.

There are so many problems in the world, some spanning decades and even centuries. These problems can feed through generations and tarnish the lives of so many family members. Yet it is possible for every person to make a conscious decision to reach out for love and help one another to rise up to the heavenly place where all families deserve to be. There is enough love and life giving potential in the world for all relationship bonds to be energized by faith and hope, to spiral ever upwards from even the bleakest pits.

Sex on the Open Edge

2011-08-09T12:04:00.005-05:00

Many people concern themselves with the dark side of sexuality, what people shouldn't do with one another, with whom these activities should not be done. However, it is just as important, perhaps even more important, to focus on what it is exactly which makes sex fulfilling. Couples are often seeking a kind of ongoing thrilling excitement in their relationships with hope that the flame can be kept burning. There is light at the end of the tunnel, as sexual fulfillment is something any couple can attain with the right guidance and insight.

The first step, as well as an ongoing part of the sexual embrace, is for partners to see one another with open eyes, hearts, bodies and spirits. It is absolutely necessary to get past sexual shame and perversion and to open oneself to a fun, committed and free spirited connection with oneself and one's partner. The satisfaction of this kind of relationship, a relationship with oneself as well as with one's partner, is marked by finding personal and mutual fulfillment in pleasure. The pleasure known by kissing, massaging and touching is propelled by wanting to go to ever deeper levels of connection.

Even outside of the sexual embrace, it is vital for people to feel comfortable with themselves and with others. Nakedness is not a sin and neither is the human body. Of course, there are times when people do not act with full respect of themselves and others and this is able to lead people to make bad decisions. However, loving oneself and others is truly marked by a certain level of comfort with and appreciation for the human body and spirit. Remember, the relaxation of being on a beach in the summertime is not only about the waves and sand. It is also related to being comfortable with one's own bare skin and appreciating the beauty of others.

Family Love and Home Schooling

2011-07-21T15:02:00.004-05:00

Some very good news about home schooling that many people may not know is that home schoolers are excelling far beyond their public school peers. Congratulations to all of those families who are investing their time and energy in educating their children! The standardized achievement test scores of home schooled children is consistently 15 to 30 percentile points above the public school norm.

Also important to note is that the certification or noncertification of parents bears no reflection on the academic learning achievements of home schooled children. The variations in the formal level of parent education or family household income have no effect on the fact that home schooled children score above average. Home schooled students are actively recruited for colleges due to their above average testing on the SAT and ACT.

Academics is not the only arena in which home schoolers have proven to be above average. They also excel in areas of social, emotional and psychological development. Studies have looked at measures such as peer interaction, self concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, community service and self esteem, with home schoolers demonstrating above average competence in all areas. Home schooling families can applaud themselves for leading a revolution in the improvement of childhood education.

(Data taken from Dr. Brian Ray's article "Research Facts on Homeschooling", 2011, National Home Education Research Institute)

Family Love and Home Schooling

2011-03-17T15:42:00.007-05:00

It is interesting to consider what it means to invest love in one's family, as each person has a significant role to play. Men serve as husbands and fathers, women as wives and mothers, and children as unique learners. As a man, one bears the majority of the wage earning responsibilities, as this is a way of protecting and providing for the family. As a woman, one bears the majority of the domestic responsibilities, and she serves as a helper to her husband and children. As children, the newness of being in the world requires a certain amount of learning, which is bolstered by the time spent with parents as teachers and guides.

Although some people try to deny the facts involved with being a man, woman, or child, the nature of humanity simply cannot refute that people are infused with certain roles and obligations. Men are designed to be more physically strong and powerful than women, enabling them to engage in demanding work tasks. Women are designed to bear and nurture children, making them better suited for the gentle care of their homes and families. Children are designed as new people, made to grow and explore, to receive helpful advice and learn to make good decisions.

As home schoolers, it is vital to reflect on what it means to be a truly loving family, to give to one another and offer oneself in ways which call attention to the nature of being a person in relationships with others. It is important to take the time and the energy to create households which are fit for all members and their unique needs and obligations. Every person calls out for service, just as every person is expected to make contributions to the family. By living out the love of the family with regard to family roles, every member is able to be satisfied and have one's needs be fully met.

Sex on the Open Edge

2011-01-03T15:38:00.003-06:00

It's not always easy to know how to voice what a person needs in a romantic relationship, to actively ensure that one's needs are met. Especially for women, it is all too common for them to remain silent and hesitant in regard to demanding equal pleasure from the sexual embrace. However, it is the physical, mental, and emotional nature of every person to be fulfilled in relationship with their partners.

In looking for long term happiness in marriage, it is important to ensure that both partners are contributing equal amounts of creativity and action in regard to ensuring that the sexual experience is a mutually satisfying one. One of the best first steps in becoming honest and bold about one's sexuality is to learn how to be comfortable with one's own body, to nurture and cherish it, and to do the same for one's partner.

It is not enough to be selective, as every inch of the person needs to be respected as beautiful and worthy of attention. Both people need to invest energy in bestowing the right amount of honor on one another. In the effort to take the romantic relationship a step deeper, it is vital that people truly invest time in learning how to love one another more fully in all ways, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The spiritual aspect of the natural sexual embrace calls out to be handled with utmost care, and it is up to each partner to be honest about their own particular relationship, to voice what is needed and to respond to one another.

Unschooling to Freedom

2010-08-16T10:27:00.005-05:00

From what I experienced living in Germany, one reason why the European culture enjoys such economic success and good standards of living is due to their ethical engagement in business and leisure. For them, work is important, but so is family and leisure time. Most mothers stay home full time with their young children up until ages 3-6, and older children spend more time at home and with their families in general in comparison to the United States.

This high quality European lifestyle builds up the family unit, and, subsequently, the culture. Although some mothers work part time outside the family sphere, they place focus on the fact that family, children, and the home are valued aspects of daily living, and daily work. The family oriented and social nature of the community means that they place value in people, and also in social infrastructure such as corporate monitoring policy, unions, public education, and streets and public spaces.

Here in the United States, many people, children included, are driven by the pressure to earn more, produce more, buy more, consume more, work more. If we were to slow down a bit, spend more time at home and with our families, then we could also know what it means to enjoy ultimate economic and social success. True achievement lies not in how much you are able to produce or consume, but in what kind of environment and culture you invest your energy. Most of the world's successful global companies in terms of size and assets are in Europe, so we'd better look to them as a model of what can be achieved.

Sex on the Open Edge

2010-06-29T15:20:00.002-05:00

From what one is able to view about sex on video media, one would think that every man in the world is satisfied and every woman in the world is not. I am guessing that this is not far from the truth. It is not difficult to note the ways in which women are used as toys and tossed aside when men have had their pleasure. It takes a very strong willed woman to resist being objectified and to demand being treated with equal respect.

It is often difficult for women to stand their ground. Men are often more physically powerful and can be intimidating, especially if a woman is not used to being resolute about her own needs. However, it is important for women to call attention to their own desires, in being viewed as people worthy of the gift of love, the gift of fulfilled pleasure. In mature relationships, monogamous and committed marriages, there is the most hope for the salvation of sexuality between partners.

Men need to look to women with the light of loving care in their eyes, and not the greedy glint of lust. When pleasure is removed from loving intentions, then empty lust is all that is left, and women are left feeling barren and used. In moving towards mutually fulfilling relationships, it is especially important for men to make advances like gentlemen, and women will usually respond with the same kindness.

Unschooling to Freedom

2010-05-03T15:48:00.005-05:00

Recently, I have talked with several other unschooling parents about the ability of children to be able to discern for themselves what and how to eat. In our household, it has always been obvious that eating is a mirror of the health of the individual and, consequently, the health of the whole family. I am sad to say that eating behaviors in our family have been up and down, with my husband and I struggling to towards normal from the heavy side and my daughter struggling towards normal from the thin side. He and I are a bit too pudgy, although not much, and my daughter is a bit too thin, although not much :)

Being able to discern how much to eat is just as important as being able to discern what to eat. A healthy and nutrient rich diet goes hand in hand with being able to know which sized portions are appropriate. Along our family road, there have been struggles, people figuring out that such-and-such is too sweet, that such-and-such has antioxidants, that such-and-such doesn't taste good, and that such-and-such is fresh and yummy. Never has it been that I have had all the good ideas, neither has my daughter, and neither has my husband. It's always been an individual quest for knowledge paired with the ability to share that knowledge in a spirit of openness and goodwill. This is what I do, he does, she does, they do, we do, in continuous curiosity and an ongoing effort of helpfulness and support.

I can say that today, we are all closer to our goals, Hannah and I moving very close to the balanced point of normal in regard to the Body Mass Index... and my husband coming along too :) We all share our opinions about meals, we note what makes us feel especially good, and we aim for the most healthy eating behaviors we can manage. We are not perfect, neither as individuals, nor as a family, but we do try our best, and part of trying our best is placing trust in our natural instincts, exploring the world of nutritional knowledge, and sharing our pangs of certainty. As unschoolers, we trust ourselves in being able to figure out what is best for us, and we all learn from one another.

Sex on the Open Edge

2010-04-05T14:30:00.004-05:00

One of the most fulfilling and unifying acts which a couple does together is to have sex. Sex is full of beauty and tenderness, yet only when the sexual act is illuminated by openness and love between two people in regard to the true workings of the mind, body, and spirit. Sex is a mental act, a physical act, and a spiritual act, intertwining man and woman in a passionate embrace of self gift.

Sex is mental in regard to the ideas couples share together. They feel free being able to converse openly with one another about sex. There is nothing shameful about thinking and speaking about sex, unless people do and say things which distort the sexual act from its natural meaning and purpose.

Sex is physical in regard to the fact that the partners are thoroughly active and exposed. The man and the woman give themselves totally to one another in the language which speaks from the form and function of the body. Neither partner is less important than the other, and both feel comfortable with sexual expression, since sexuality in its natural form is an act of great beauty and love.

Sex is spiritual in regard to the fact that it literally unites two people in one life. The man and the woman are two individual halves of one whole unit, and the most gratifying result of this unity is the birth of new life. When love is perfectly expressed, in good health and good intention, the end result is the gracious gift of life in a new baby.

Because sex is not well understood by many people, there are many people who feel shameful about sex. They do not want to hear about it, they do not want to discuss it, they are fearful of understanding it. However, when people are able to get it right, there is an epiphany of fruitful hope and gratitude, and the couple takes on renewed courage in claiming their mutual sexuality as something beautiful and wholly without shame.

Unschooling to Freedom

2010-02-10T15:41:00.007-06:00

It is interesting to watch the schooling world from the outside. It appears to be so normal to so many people, waking up very early to transport various family members around town, full days of children being away from parents, busy afternoon transport, and evenings of homework. What does makes sense is the level of frustration this causes, the underlying tension which erupts within families in a variety of ways.

Relationships between family members becomes fragmented, parents and children are relegated to sideline positions regarding education, and irritation mars many moments, often on a daily basis, as people struggle to keep up with the irrational demands of school staff members and administrators. What is missing from this picture are close family bonds, hands on and personal influence of parents and children in education, and freedom to create days around the unique needs of the family.

Unschooling is the solution to many of the trials and tribulations which families experience when school is irrationally imposed on their lives. Life becomes more relaxed and centered on family relationships, children are allowed the liberty to learn about themselves and their worlds from a comfortable home base, and parents are empowered to claim the right to participate in supporting the education of their own children.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-12-24T14:18:00.005-06:00

In regard to the marital relationship, there are often times when people look at their partners with itches of hopeful frustration, that odd mixture of faith and irritation which springs up in the midst of the flaws of our loved ones. It is a fact that many Americans are overweight or obese, and the fact that most people pack on too many pounds is a very sad testament to the health of this culture. One of the reasons why people cover their bodies with fat is an aim to escape the realities around them, to literally pull a sick blanket over themselves, with food.

In the effort to peel away the blanket of fear and misguided comfort, it is vital to first place true recognition in the value of one's own spirit. Underneath the troubling issues and fearful manifestations are vibrant spirits waiting to be unleashed. There are a multitude of diseases which plague people who are overweight and contribute to spiritual stress. Purging the mind and body of fear and replacing this fear with love is essential to salvaging the inner soul. When these layers of fear begin to peel away, people become closer to themselves and their marriage partners, opening doors to increased intra and interpersonal communication.

There are many practical ways to sooth the mind and body of one's spouse. It's important for marriage partners to spend time together, intimate time where both people are comforted by close and caring touches and shown that their whole spirits are worthy of devotion and satisfaction. There is ultimate satisfaction in being true to oneself, in sharing oneself with others, in expressing commitment and tender compassion. This kind of satisfaction cannot be found in food, but rather in the empowering support of our ourselves and our loved ones.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-11-29T15:16:00.010-06:00

Unschooling is sometimes viewed with mistrust, perhaps due to the fact that unschoolers attempt to undo something which is so common to many people. However, what is being undone? To unschoolers, school became a somewhat--in some cases even totally--negative entity. Schooling is often connected with forced education, heavy backpacks, hours of homework, long school days, lack of free choice, massive and unyielding institutions, and limited individualized and personal care.

By undoing schooling, unschoolers are actually releasing the child, the person, to a greater sense of personal choice, freedom to explore educational and professional interests, increased family time, and intimate relationships with family members and friends. Life becomes more flexible, flowing, and natural. By taking away the burdensome aspects of school, of which there are often many, unschoolers liberate themselves and their children to more relaxed days, amplifying the goal of self realization through hands on exploration of the world through the comfortable home base of the family.

By removing school from their children's lives, parents take on full responsibility for parenthood, part of this responsibility being viewed as the call to remain on the sidelines nearby, keeping their children safe and happy as they explore their world. To unschooling parents, the educational and professional interests of children lie first with the children themselves. Children have the primary responsibility of figuring out their own goals and desires, with parents being readily available for feedback and support. By undoing school, there is an intimate reconnection to self and family.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-10-22T10:29:00.003-05:00

The shame which accompanies generations of sexual misunderstandings can cause perpetual disturbances in the lives of individuals. Family histories with lack of maturity regarding nudity and sexuality have the ability to influence the generations of today. The best solution for people who are struggling with doubts and insecurities regarding the human body is to simply take steps in the direction of loving themselves better and more wholly.

What does it mean to open oneself to oneself or to open oneself to another person? This is simply a matter of trust and a casting away of fear, of treating oneself and others with the respect and care to which every person is naturally entitled. The goal needs to be kept firmly in mind. The desire to overcome trepidation in regard to nudity and sexuality must be shouldered by a consistent belief that the human body is beautiful and deserving of celebration.

When people are absolutely convinced of their loveliness, totally consumed in the idea that they are deserving of true love, care, and joy, then they can break free of the chains imposed by shame, chains which may have been present in the family for generations. Liberation of the human person and the human body is confirmed by being able to look oneself and others in the eye, knowing that what is seen is worthy of absolute dignity and reverence.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-09-04T14:31:00.004-05:00

Unschooling in a urban setting is not always the easiest. Life has a gentler pace in the countryside, where unschooling took root, in the slow paced easy living families on the outskirts of town. However, unschooling in an urban setting is perhaps where unschooling is most needed. Amid the hustle and bustle of the inner city, it can be hard to find that place of calm, the serenity of home, the connection to self and universe, to spirit.

Many city parents work two jobs and are constantly on the go... feel pressured to be on the go. Resisting the charged capitalistic impulse to pressure oneself is difficult, yet so desperately needed in urban living. There needs to be a place to get way, to turn down, to follow one's natural rhythmic instincts. One of the ways in which urban unschoolers find their islands of peace is by spending time in the urban parks and nature areas, playgrounds lush with trees and animals, birds and squirrels, lizards and turtles.

There is something so liberating about having leaves above one's head, sun on the skin, toes in the dirt. The environment shines out radiant and sensory, filling the ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and skin with nature's powerful beauty--microscopic, magnificent, unique. It's sometimes simply necessary for urban unschoolers to lounge in the central parks, along the city waterways. Being immersed in nature means so much more to a person when there is less of it around in general. Freeing the spirit often comes from being consistently and tangibly aware of the personal connection to powerful universal pulses and rhythms, of truly finding oneself, of being.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-07-07T09:45:00.003-05:00

When people discuss nudity, it is unfortunate that so many people experience feelings of shame and guilt. What is there to be ashamed about? How many other species dawn on clothes out of guilt? Clothing can certainly be practical in certain situations, but the question is, is it truly necessary? All too often, wearing clothing is linked with the idea of sexual shame, of guilt associated with one's own reproductive nature. It is sad that so many people across the world, yet not everyone everywhere--thank goodness, feel the need to cover themselves irrationally.

There is no question that humanity has problems, that there are reasons for people to feel guilty about their sexual behaviors, but claiming that nudity is wrong or bad is just another incorrect behavior and doesn't help matters. People need to know that their bodies are good, that there are ways to treat oneself and other people with dignity and love. Focusing on the problems of the past is no way to make solutions for the future, and naming nudity as a problem is placing blame on the person rather than the behavior. While some thoughts and actions towards oneself and others can be harmful, being naked is never a sin.

The best way for people to enjoy themselves and express themselves is to treat themselves and others with gentle kindness. This type of attitude is far from shame and disappointment and full of right intentions and understanding. Nudity is the way all creatures are born into this universe, and being naked in this world should not be discouraged or made into a crime. The gift of people's bodies and spirits should be nurtured and celebrated by ourselves and others, for respectful actions and considerate behaviors are always compassionate and joyful. Humanity can benefit from the confidence of knowing that the way they were born into the world is a beautiful way to be.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-05-19T10:09:00.002-05:00

Two of the many important philosophical aspects of unschooling are the ideas of the right to parent your own child and the right to self direct. In this day and age when many schools operate more like daylong, coercive, high structure, babysitting institutions and less like liberating, caring, child centered, learning organizations, it is vital for parents to really consider the needs of their children.

The needs of the child should always come first, and in that way, serving the most sensitive and needy member of the family as best as possible becomes the centering focal point of the family. How do parents truly nurture and sustain this new life? Do they devote the right amount of love, time, and energy to their children... or is the love and energy missing or being turned over to other people besides the parents, like teachers, schools, and government officials? Grasping the necessity to hold onto parental rights is equal to grasping the necessity to hold onto children, to work with kids intimately within the family, to be sensitive to tender relationships, to foster children's unique development through loving guidance and liberating life exploration.

When considering the daily life of children, it is important to ask oneself if our kids really need to be away from parents for 35-40-45 hours per week in schools and performing school related tasks. Many children would benefit much more from family time, free time with their peers, days at the park, following interests more loosely. Being locked into a school day is often like being locked into a program over which parents and children have little to no control. Do parents really want this for themselves and their children? Or would it be better to have education begin and reside in the home, under the direct influence of the parents and with direct guidance and support of our children?

Kids need free time for exploring their own interests, formulating friendships, and attaching to the guiding and gentle influence of caring parents. It's vital to consider whether or not families miss something by giving their children away to other teachers and caregivers for so many hours per day... perhaps kids would truly be better served by their loving parents and neighborhood groups of unschoolers.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-03-02T16:58:00.000-06:00

The most satisfying, relaxing, and affirming thing that a husband and wife can do together, especially for one another, is to have sex. Freeing oneself to truly enjoy sex, to love it, to take refuge in it, to give it openly to one's lover, is one of nature's most joyful experiences, relaxing the mind, body, and spirit. However, if one is careless with this sensitive and powerful gift, one can be sure hurt and pain will follow.

Sex should be nothing less than joyful, totally giving and romantic, pleasurable and fulfilling. What is the partner who's left wondering if it was really the right thing to do, the right feeling to have felt, the right person to have been with? That's the person who's not fully and totally experienced the beauty and power of romantic love, the person standing on the sidelines or in the shadows of sexuality, the person who hasn't yet got it quite right. It's slightly comforting to know that one is not alone is sexual dissatisfaction, but only fleetingly so.

The best way to find what you seek is first to know that you deserve it, not just a little bit, but totally. Each person deserves to be swept off their feet from sexuality, every time, to be blown away by pleasure, to even scream in amazing pleasurable realization that you and this other person are so incredibly together, so wonderfully in tune. That's where the magic lies. It doesn't always come easy, and couples often have to search through the shadows and cobwebs before finally finding one another in the clear sunlight, but it can and does happen, and everyone deserves it and is worthy of finding it. Just remember that self expression is vital, the sheer wonderment of self gift.

If man is the key and woman is the lock, there are a variety of ways to coax the passion between the two, and each person is unique and special in regard to his or her unique needs. Just like a lock and key, the closer the two become and the more purposeful and attentive in their motions and actions, the more likely the lock is to be clicked open. For men, this may mean taking the lead and driving the force... for women, this may mean accepting only the right actions and guiding the process along... however, for both people, the answer lies both in themselves and in one another, in their complimentary passions and desires.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-02-10T10:45:00.000-06:00

The basic idea of school is not necessarily a bad one, a place, a center where people can receive an education from others, if desired. However, it's this last part of the sentence, "if desired", which many schools, teachers, employers, and politicians ignore. School should always be voluntary and optional, not mandatory. If one looks to the most dire school situations, schools sometimes believe that they are the only ones able to educate, that knowledge cannot or should not be obtained from anyone or anywhere else. This concept is simply ridiculous. If a person wants school, chooses school, then that's fine. Many interesting things can be learned in a school. However, the large problem in many societies, including American society, is that schools want to own education and horde it at a price. Many highly educated adults without high school diplomas and college degrees can't find jobs, simply because they didn't "buy" their intelligence from someone else. This is truly unfair and a disservice to honoring the educated. The practice of capitalizing on thought, knowledge, and education is so out of hand and extreme that everyday people themselves don't even see that they don't need school in order to become educated. They lose sight that education can easily come from life experience, conversations, books, and articles outside of a school system and that learning is even more authentic in a free, self directed, and person centered way. Retaining the right to one's own thought and how it is obtained as well as recognizing and appreciating the depth of knowledge of people who have never valued being a part of the school system is certainly something worth considering.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-02-05T15:52:00.001-06:00

Being sexual in public is often found to be taboo-- and can often rightly be taboo when people are actually hurting themselves or someone else in the process of trying to be sexual. However, what about the great number of people who are kind and respectful in their sexual expression, who are passionate and would simply love to be able to express themselves sexually wherever and whenever they please? Life can be tough for those folks, everywhere on the planet, because in many places it's even illegal to be nude in public. How did it come to be that people became so ashamed of their nudity that they wanted it banished from sight? It's hard to say if anyone has the answer to that question. However, it's poor people like breastfeeding women who bear the brunt of society's apparent distaste of all things sexual. Yes, breasts are sexual, they're also nutritional, they help children to be well fed and well nourished-- but a breast in public? For some reason, it's a crime. Many women would love to bare their breasts regularly, not only when breastfeeding, and many others would love to see it too. However, as a society, we're still so wrapped up in shame that relaxed and open sexuality and nudity is truly scandalous to many people. It's even entered our system of law as being so. It may serve people well to finally and honestly reflect on their bodies and to make a decision that these bodies and their functions are actually wonderful and beautiful organisms, because so much in our society claims the opposite. There's radiant beauty in human shape, form, and action, right down to the skin.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-02-05T10:31:00.001-06:00

What many people don't see or understand on first glace is the liberating grace of unschooling. Unschooling means that you obtain knowledge on your own terms, by living life, by exploring, by doing exactly what you feel is best for you. Children in structured school settings are often herded from class to class and have little to no input into their educations, into their days, into the course of their lives. Parents who take the time to unschool their kids foster their children's curiosity day after day, so that these little people can grow into exactly the people they want to be. They learn what interests them, they put energy into their passions, they are encouraged and helped by their parents. Unschooling is basically the liberation of the natural child, fostering self direction and self knowledge as children explore their glorious universe. Unschooling truly allows kids the grace of themselves, gives them back to themselves and their parents. What could be better than the gift of one's own child, returned from the system and set free to know themselves and their desires without heavy structure, coercion, and manipulation? There's not much more families could ask for than that.

Sex on the Open Edge

2009-02-05T09:47:00.001-06:00

Sexuality in America is still so stifled and warped in some aspects. Although many people claim to be liberated and free, kind and respectful, many people also don't live up to these common ethics. What prevents people from feeling free enough to kiss and make love in public? In its purest form, sex is something that people should be able to have anywhere, wherever they feel comfortable. However, so few people feel comfortable in their own skin, that sexuality in public is not only uncommon, it's often illegal. What makes the giving of oneself totally, mind, body, and spirit, something that many people feel they just don't want to see out in the open? A guess is that so much of sexual practice is still so skewed from the natural that people simply can't feel comfortable expressing themselves in this way publicly. However, think of the beauty and passion of meeting a loved one in a city park, embracing full of love, slipping off clothes, and totally baring souls openly to one another in the embrace of nature. Now that's power.

Unschooling to Freedom

2009-02-04T11:11:00.000-06:00

Unschooling is not only about doing what one wants when one wants. It's about doing what one wants when one wants-- because one truly knows it's the best thing for oneself. Doing what's best oneself often also includes doing what's best for others as well. Liberating oneself and one's children from oppressive structures is so very important, but liberty has borders too, the borders of keeping oneself and one's environment safe and well. Living joyously does incorporate ethics. It's important to ponder which of the common social rules are founded on great ethics... and which of the common social rules are simply ridiculous bureaucracy, not founded on anything more than greedy power. Greedy power is flimsy and always exposes the fear behind it, however, true power comes from really knowing oneself, from stepping forward into the universe self assured and with eyes wide open, allowing oneself to direct one's life in totally positive ways. That's where the magic is found. Many people are still under the traces of the iron curtain, scared to claim themselves, scared to claim their children, scared to claim their own thought. The time has come for people to trust themselves to know what's right, to put faith in their kids to learn what sparks their interests, and to foster them from self assured and self directed children into self assured and self directed adults. Otherwise humanity loses touch not only with itself, but with its future, with its children.