Barter

By Sara Teasdale

Life has loveliness to sell,

      All beautiful and splendid things,

Blue waves whitened on a cliff,

      Soaring fire that sways and sings,

And children's faces looking up

Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,

      Music like a curve of gold,

Scent of pine trees in the rain,

      Eyes that love you, arms that hold,

And for your spirit's still delight,

Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,

      Buy it and never count the cost;

For one white singing hour of peace

      Count many a year of strife well lost,

And for a breath of ecstasy

Give all you have been, or could be. 

 

     The poem says it well.  Homeschooling (like life) is barter.  There's a tradeoff.  There is strife, and there is a cost.  But, the lovely things are worth it.  The beautiful things aren't easy.  There will be times of crying, of praying for patience, of frustration, but there are also hours on the couch with my children, pouring truth and beauty into their souls.  To me, it's worth the cost.

    Eyes that love you, arms that hold, indeed.

From The Homeschool Experiment by Charity Hawkins (posting here so I can read it again)