「パパ」との思い出

「パパ」との思い出

グレッグ・ハリソン

春という季節は常に変化を伴うが、私のこの春はとりわけ目まぐるしかった。

五月初め、父がこの世を去った。自宅で安らかに眠りについた父は、カズオやエイジからは「パパ」と呼ばれていた。最愛の父を失い悲しむ私に、多くの友人が暖かい言葉で慰めてくれたが、中でも一番心に残ったのが、「お父さんとの楽しかった思い出すべてをどうか大切に。。。」というものだった。

一方、子供の家では、この春園庭が大きく様変わりした。皆さん新しくなった櫓の下のマットや、外観全体を気に入っているようで、私も同感である。ただ、保護者の多くが砂場がなくなってしまったことを残念に思っていることも確かだ。私も子供の家父兄として通ってきた六年間を振り返ると、恐らく他のどんな遊具よりも、土を掘って遊べる砂場が大好きだったように思う。

土の重要性を過小評価してはならない。土で遊ぶこと、つまり、遊びに決まり事がなく、土の中に手を突っ込んで何かを形作ったり、水を加えたり、トンネルを作ったり、泥団子を作ったりという砂場での遊びは、全ての学びの原点である。繰り返して言うが、砂場での遊びは全ての教育の原点だと私は信じている。子供たちが砂場で遊ぶことによって作り上げた世界の数々は、言葉を学んだり、友達との遊び方を学んだり、お話を作ったりするのに最適なのだ。こういった世界は、どんな本よりも価値や意味があるし、子供たちの人生に後々まで大きな影響を与える。子供たちと砂遊びの関係を超えるのは、母親と赤ん坊の身体的な結びつき以外にはないのではないだろうか。何と言っても砂遊びは、我々と母なる大地とを結びつける絆なのだから。

子供たちが砂遊びに熱中するのは、ほとんど本能的でさえある。私も子供時代はそうだった。私の父も砂場で遊ぶことを喜んで見てくれたし、そういった父の方針に感謝している。音楽と科学を愛した父は地に足の着いた、謙虚な人だった。幼い頃は、兄弟と一緒に何時間も砂遊びをして過ごした。想像の中で様々な場所へ旅をし、登場人物や状況を設定した。トンネルを作ったり、火山を作ったり、他にも今となっては記憶のどこかに埋もれてしまっている色々なものを造った。成長するにつれ、砂遊びはガーデニングへと進化していった。我が家にはかなり大きな庭があり、たくさんの果物や野菜を育てた。たくさんの楽しい思い出もそこで生まれた。ガーデニングを通して、我が家と土との関係は深まり、土への愛情も育っていった。季節の移り変わりをみんなで楽しんだ。土の手入れをすることは、我が家では自然な事となり、ミミズを見つけては喜んだ。土の感触や、色、においに安堵した。種を植え、水をやり、土から生命の吹き出る喜びを知った。最後には食べ物となって、私たちに栄養を与えてくれた。父はいつも側にいて、土に関する全てを教えてくれた。そして、同時に命についても教えてくれたのである。

そして今、父からの教えに想いを馳せると、またもや土、生き物、生命のサイクルへと引き込まれていく。そして、今一度、土に癒しを見い出している自分がいる。

Digging in the dirt, lessons from my dad.

Spring has always been a time for change, although for me, this particular spring has been tumultuous.   My heart mourns the passing of my dear father, or as Kazuo and Eiji refer to him, “Papa”, who passed away in early May, at his home, peacefully.  I do miss him dearly. As many have comforted me with their kind thoughts and sympathy, one piece of advice that seems to stand out is this:  “Remember all the wonderful memories with your father.”

Meanwhile, here at Kodomo No Ie preschool, this spring has brought a magnificent change in the appearance of the playground.  Everyone seems to love the new play surfaces and overall appearance, myself included.  However,  many of us deeply miss the dirt.  As I think back over the six years of being a parent at Kodomo No Ie, perhaps more than any other physical feature, this was a wonderful place to dig in the dirt.   I do miss the dirt too.

Do not underestimate the importance of dirt.  Digging in the dirt – unstructured play, reaching hands into the earth and shaping it, adding water, building tunnels or making mudpies, this is the foundation of all learning.  That’s right: I believe that digging in the dirt is the foundation of all learning.  The worlds that have been created by children digging and playing in the dirt are the starships of language, social interaction and story-telling. These worlds have more meaning and have more lasting impact, than any book lesson.  In fact, these connections are second only to the physical bond between mother and child, and I think that makes sense, for these are the bonds to our Mother Earth.

Children instinctively are drawn to playing in the dirt, and I was no different as a child.  My dad certainly encouraged it, and for that I am thankful. He was a modest man who was grounded in the earth, and loved music and science.  And growing up, I spent hours playing in the dirt with my siblings. We travelled to imaginary places and invented characters and situations, while making tunnels, volcanoes, and other creations that now inhabit the forgotten recesses of my mind.  As I got older, playing in the dirt evolved into gardening.  Our family had an enormous garden and we raised a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, as well as many fond memories. Through gardening, our relationship with the dirt deepened, and our love for the earth grew. We became connected with the seasons.  It became our nature to care for the soil, delight in the earthworms, feel the texture, absorb the colors, and embrace the smells.  Plant seeds, and add water, and experience the joy of life sprouting from the earth, culminating eventually in food that we used to nourish ourselves. My dad was there, every step of the way, teaching us about the earth, but also teaching us about life itself.

And now as I dwell on the lessons of my father, I am drawn back to the earth, and living things and the cycles of life. And I am finding solace once again, in dirt.  

(Originally contributed to June 2010 Mamas and Papas for Kodomo No Ie Preschool)

An Azalea in the Garden

My neighborhood gave me a beautiful azalea plant in sympathy after my dad passed away.  I planted it in a nice shady spot in the garden, and then nestled myself in for a photo.   It's not obvious in this picture, but this azalea has very unusual flowers that are half white and half purple/lavender.  (It's not the azalea directly in front of me, but rather the one to my left, more in the front center of the image).

  

It's no surprise that I've been thinking about my dad a great deal. I've been reticent about writing about him, since his passing.  I admit, I feel as though I need to write something perfect, because my love for him demands I use my skills as best as I can (and as if I have this one and only one opportunity to remember him.)   Of course, nothing makes writing more difficult than layering expectations before you even get started.

But I would like to share one small piece I wrote.  For several years now, I have been a regular contributor to my children's preschool newsletter, "The Mamas and Papas", at Kodomo No Ie Preschool (Japanese for  "House of Children").   Obviously I write my articles in English and they are translated to Japanese.  I should clarify that this school is like a slice of Japan here in nearby San Gabriel California (different from, say, an American school that teaches the Japanese language).  The school is run as though it would be run in Japan, and everything about it is entirely Japanese.  It's been a great experience for my sons, and a wonderful cultural exchange for me.  I am fortunate that a few of the parents translate school notices and whatnot for us.

Apologies for the long introduction, but I suppose it gives you some idea about my audience for the original piece.  It's about dirt.  And it's about my dad.