Eye spy

Have you ever heard the saying "the eyes are the window into the soul"? That is exactly what came to mind when I came across this photo within a recent Facebook post, written by my husband of 30 years.  He rarely posts, but  when he does, it is important.  He tagged me in the post and upon seeing it, I realized there was much more to the picture than meets the eye (definite pun intended). For me, this picture holds two hidden meanings. Bear with me while I elaborate, I think you will find it worth your next 3 minutes!

On one our family outings, my daughter decided to take and an extreme close up "eye selfie".  Not only did she wind up with an awesome picture, she captured the essence of our family who can clearly be  seen in her eye's reflection.  Now, humor me by putting your finger on the picture. Move it from  Hubby (8 o'clock) to Sarah's hand (to the right of the pupil) then to me (directly to the left of her pupil, and then to my son (1 o'clock). Your tracing is a jagged line within the unbroken circle that is her iris.  Once again, bring your finger back to the picture and this time move it from Hubby, to Sarah's hand, to my son, to me and then back to Hubby. This time you have created a circle within a circle.  I believe the tracings depict how we are forever connected within an unbroken circle. It doesn't matter whether the line is jagged or  circular, it simply matters that the circle keeps the line safely within its boundaries.

NOW PRESS PLAY

The stem is meant to represent the growth of a family over time. It starts at the base and moves up, leading directly to the beautiful bloom. Few families are able to boast of avoiding an occasional thorn.  It is more likely that most families are better represented by a  pattern of growth that moves straight up at times, but then takes an hard turn, represented by the jaggedness of thorns.  My belief is that because we are able to hold each other within our personal souls, at the very same time we are in the midst of plucking a thorn out of our family finger, the soul of our family is able to survive. 

So what does this have to do with Grow with Me Poetry?

Above, I spoke of growth lines; circular and jagged. However, there are a few other fates  a family's growth line may suffer. Unfortunately,  sometimes growth may become stunted, be fractured, or even worse, stop. I  think we can all agree that  this is more of an issue of late.  Grow with Me Poetry offers a solution to this negative trend. 

I set out to write a book that would tend to a family's garden,  one that would fertilize the family  and individual soul so that the family's growth line could trend towards the bloom. To do this, I had to create a literary environment that would enable an older generation  to be in the same room as its younger counterpart, while also creating a means for them to engage in meaningful conversation, conversation that moves beyond "how was your day", followed by "fine" (end of conversation).   I did it! The challenge I face now is  bringing my novel idea to the masses, particularly when the masses are unable to come within six feet of another. There is hope, though. I only need to bring my novel solution (a weak pun, since a book of poetry is not a novel by definition) to one person at a time with one condition! That person needs to share the book with a younger person. The rest is a snap!  Then, Grow with Me Poetry will facilitate the pair reading together and learning about each other. The actual content of the poetry taps into what faces our youth within the bubble of their world, while also encouraging them to discuss what their counterpart has already experienced.  "If you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem"; an adage I took to heart.

​If I may...

The specific format of Grow with Me Poetry offers an adult a means to communicate with today's youth through the use of guided activities tailored to the poem that precedes them. Those activities include prompt questions as well as mini art activities. No need to seek out a journal or a canvas because each are supplied within the book. Since the poems' content mirrors the maturation of a child, the book becomes a timeline of their growth and more importantly, a reflection of the souls that read it. 

If I may (twice)...

I used the picture of Sarah's eye as a muse for the following poem so that I could demonstrate the format of the book; a peek inside, if you will.  

Eye Spy
​
Can you spy in my little blue eye
A hint of my soul and what lies inside?

I've opened a window for all to see
Marred by no screen, the essence of me

Along with a twinkle you'll discover
Intricate layers for you to uncover

Be adventurous, but proceed with care
I still feel vulnerable as you stare

Here is a hint, a place to start
You will see those dear to my heart

A mother, father, daughter and son
With souls entwined, bound into one

It is a familial bond, our eternal link
And with that, I bid you adieu with a wink.

Activities for you and your child:
1. What do you think a soul is?
2. How might you be able to "see into" another person's soul?
3. What is meant by the phrase "The eyes are the window into the soul."?
4. How do you think your family is bound (stuck) to your soul? Remember your family doesn't need to be a traditional biological family. Your family can include the people that represent your mother, father, daughter or son.
5 Draw a picture of a your eye. If you would like, inside the eye, include what you think makes up your soul (it could be a heart, your family, or a picture of what makes you special - you can even draw an eye and blend the colors you think represent your soul).

*In Grow with Me Poetry, this poem and questions would be followed by a blank lined page and then a blank page to draw a picture.​

Were this poem to actually have been included in Grow with Me Poetry, you would've  seen it accompanied by a bloom stamp, signalling that it is a poem meant for older readers.  Seed and sprout stamps are reserved for early elementary school and later elementary school age children, respectively. The stamps reflect a level of maturation; a seed grows into a sprout which then blooms!  Lastly, since you would have read the initial chapters in the book, you would also be focusing on reading the poem all the while incorporating the practice of mindfulness.  There is a lot to unpackage between  the front and back covers, for sure!  To learn more about Grow with Me Poetry in its entirety, simply navigate your way to the home page.  That being said,  there is only one thing left for you to do - join me in my quest to bring souls together. Let your personal and family souls  blossom.

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click here to purchase Grow with Me Poetry