The Unexpected; A Lesson in the Benefits of Flexibility

The favorite tree to play in that came down onto the power line sometime Tuesday night.

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One of the main lessons I've learned over my lifetime—but especially over the last twelve and a half years of running a not-for-profit—is the importance of staying flexible. Sh*t happens when you least expect it. Plans fall through, people don't behave as you anticipated, or a tree falls on the power line in your front yard. Sometimes it's as innocuous as an idea that just needs tweaking. This is why I'm always in creative brainstorming mode; nothing is ever finished in my mind. Everything is up for revision or total revamping—even if that means starting from scratch.

But flexibility and problem-solving aren't always innate, especially for those of us who are neuro-spicy and prefer things predictable, steady, and unchanging. Still, I fully believe these are learnable skills—necessary ones, even, because life can throw major screwballs, and the ability to navigate the resulting chaos makes everything a little easier.

So how do we acquire flexibility when it doesn't come naturally? Everyone's path is different, but I'd say openness to new ideas and the self-confidence to pursue them are key. I'm not saying it's easy to shift your mindset from stuck to receptive. But you can train yourself to notice how you react in those "oh sh*t" moments. Instead of accepting the inevitable and feeling defeated, you can treat them as opportunities to get creative and make change. Like anything, it takes practice—and eventually it becomes locked in, habitual.

Again, I'm not suggesting this mental shift is simple. But it's an exercise worth practicing. My perspective is that every adversity comes with possibility, even when that possibility isn't visible at the outset.

At the core of my personal educational philosophy is the belief that most things can't be explicitly taught—that knowledge and understanding don't come from being talked at, or from the abstract. They come from an equitable exchange between learner and mentor (or facilitator), one that offers individual support through modeling and hands-on practice. Each person learns something from the other.
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These are the relationships I strive to build every day. Learning together, inside a supportive community, is powerful—with the potential to change perspectives and, in turn, lives. 

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DRC News

This week’s blog was inspired by events of this week.  On Wednesday morning, I expected a calm day of admin work; instead, I awoke to find a notification from the  DRC security camera app that showed a video of a Canton police officer knocking on the door at 3:03 am!  As you can imagine, all the scenarios ran through my head. Then, as I was almost to town at 6:40 am, another notification came in showing a second Canton officer at the door. 

I quickly discovered why when I turned into the driveway and found a huge tree down, its top branches hung up on the power line. After several phone calls, the last one to 911 with the message that it wasn’t a huge emergency, someone from the Canton FD stopped by to determine that it was, in fact, resting on the power line to the house and that the main breaker in the house should be shut off. (He kindly did that for me.) He also called National Grid to report it. 

NG showed up along with a tree service. They made quick work of the tree, cleared the driveway, and even cut down other potentially hazardous branches.

​I am deeply grateful that the tree didn’t come down on the Center and that there are skilled people in our community trained to take care of these kinds of emergencies efficiently. 

Volunteer Opportunity

The other aforementioned incident required a pivot in my original thought process about inviting volunteers to share their interests, talents, and skills with our student members. Originally, I was asking each volunteer to commit to two days per month. Based on feedback, I discovered that was not feasible for some folx. Therefore, I have adjusted it to be a flexible commitment; we are happy to work within personal schedules, as long as I can plan a schedule at least two weeks out so we can invite independent homeschoolers for particular sessions with volunteers.
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If you are interested in helping to enrich hands-on learning and forge meaningful relationships that last well beyond the classroom, please get in touch.   You can also complete the volunteer application found here. We look forward to exploring the possibilities with you.

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Other Ways to Support Deep Root Center

Our Amazon Wishlist is filled with things we use every day to support hands-on learning, including art supplies, kitchen equipment, and household necessities. You can purchase items that you think will be the most helpful, and they will be sent directly to our door. Thank you!

Donations and Sponsorships help us keep our promise to accept any child who wants to join us. 

​Or you can order original DRC swag from our Printify shop.

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Open Enrollment
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Is school no longer working for your child? Are you looking for an alternative? Deep Root Center is school reimagined, and it might be what you are looking for.
Contact us to learn more.