Life Stories

I am reading Ina Garten’s Memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, which is notable for two reasons. Firstly, I was known as a voracious reader (often finishing a book a day when I had the time) until the pandemic hit. This is the first physical book I have picked up since then (I even bought it). I had only begun to read a few eBooks this past year. Secondly, I typically do not enjoy memoirs, biographies, or nonfiction in general.

As explained in previous posts, even though I have been reading since a very early age and read constantly as a child, I typically do not remember anything, which means it is not a vehicle for learning. I skip through books looking for the story and tend to get bored easily if the narrative is hard to find or follow. 

This book has truly captured my attention. Ina's writing brings her fascinating story to life and clearly reflects her personality. She is someone who pursues her desires with determination. Whenever someone told Ina she could not do something, she doubled down and found a way to achieve what she believed was right for herself. Ina is full of ideas; she dives into her latest adventure without fear of getting messy or making mistakes. She is very hands-on and works through the process to find solutions. Additionally, Ina is willing to follow her latest ideas wherever they lead her - because she too tends to get bored easily. 

The title, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, emphasizes that you must do the hard work before success can find you. She has certainly put in the effort. However, the most important aspect of her story is that it is all rooted in following her ideas and passions.

Ina effectively embodies the key principles of self-directed learning. She recognizes that having an open mind, creativity, a willingness to take risks, and the ability to learn from mistakes, while being playful and having fun are crucial for personal success. Additionally, she understands that the motivation to tackle challenging tasks is essential for achieving goals.

Through Ina's narrative, the reader discovers that they not only can - but are absolutely responsible for writing (creating) their own life stories. This is why in my role at Deep Root Center I cannot, and will not, (ever) dictate what a young person should do. I will offer unlimited support and mentorship, but ultimately, they are each free to choose their paths based on their interests, passions, dreams, aspirations, and having fun.

DRC News

We were happy to be back from Holiday Break this past week. The snowy weather was responsible for a smallish crew on Tuesday and closing altogether on Thursday. We also forgot to take more photos...

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The Pop-ups Peeps had fun at Nicandri Nature Center on Wednesday and the Massena Public Library on Thursday. 

Any homeschool family in the NoCo is welcome to join in the fun every Wednesday & Thursday. Learn more about the Pop-ups here.