Oh, this is just wonderful. I definitely relate to all of these characteristics personally, and as a teacher I have always been drawn to these 'old soul' students and tried to encourage without changing them. I also love the term 'timeless souls.' Thanks for sharing your wisdom on this.
Thank you Phoebe, not just for the comment but for your service as a teacher. So you can see them too! Not all teachers can—those children, then, are lucky to have you in their lives for seeing the unseen qualities they have in side them.
Those of us who have been privileged and blessed to spend a good portion of our lives in the presence of children are among the more fortunate - especially in the context of families and schools and communities. The wisdom and insights of kids have fed my Spirit life for many years and even at this stage, the kids I see sparkle with delight, discovery and joy. I wouldn't want to miss any of that.
A friend, Rick Ackerly, a school Principal for many years, wrote a book, "The Genius of Children" which I recommend for parents and teachers. He also writes a I have an old post somewhere, "The Wisdom of Children" and I will try and dig it up for you later. Thanks, Kert, for adding meaning to my morning!
I am always impressed and humbled with the generosity of your deep reading and response Gary. Teachers who are in it for the right reasons ARE the fortunate ones because they know how much their lives are enriched by the presence of the kids in their lives. That’s 100% true! This is one of the things that bleeds my heart when I hear those in the larger society talk smack and disparage our schools and teachers—which includes our paras, our office staff, our custodians, our bus drivers…. Do, when you find the post from Rick, send it along. I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a book myself—LORD know we’ve got stories, right?
May we all learn to be foils to the timeless soul gems. Watch their facets sparkle in different light. You are like the Master Goldsmith who brings out the best of each stone, the kids were lucky to have you as part of their education journey.
That is incredibly kind of you to say! Thank you Marjorie. Serving students over the course of my 33 years as a public school teacher and principal was my highest honor. I was lucky to have THEM in my life! I felt a part of thousands of families—not many can say that unless they, too, are educators.
I was an extrovert old soul kid. I lived to manipulate my teachers in my tween years, and in quite mischievous ways. I was a chameleon based on what I could get away with from that teacher…if they wouldn’t tolerate I was quiet, if they would I was the class clown constantly speaking up and cracking up the class. I used to wonder what some of my classmates thought of me seeing me in my different modes in different classes. Luckily the more mischievous side of this mellowed by high school, but still stayed a class clown in good ways…depending on the teacher.
Kinda like the court jester who’s the smartest one in the room knowing the joke is on everyone else. Right? Ironically, of course I had students like this (you) too and I loved them. They had the potential to be incredible leaders given their charisma and language acuity. A few were old souls as well who, for whatever reason, hid that part of themselves behind their humor. Thanks Jeffrey for a fun comment—brought back some memories of some fun kids.
So many great thoughts were going through my head in reading that. I have always said Alec has an old soul and what you wrote describes him well. I love that he has not lost that old soul energy. Matter of fact, that is one of the things I love most about him. I find myself smiling ear to ear, heart almost bursting when I listen to him talk.
Another thought I had was about several small pieces of paper that he wrote for me that I saved. Spelling and the handwriting was not perfect, but again it was.
Thanks for taking me down memory lane Kert. I am happy in this moment.
I'm happy to see you expanded on that wonderful comment. I still haven't read the full article. I'm very behind on . . . well, everything. But I wanted to jump in here before I forgot and thank you for the shout-out and for giving me a new perspective on the "old soul."
I have been thinking about words since I read this a week or so ago. I thought of this when I read a slogan on the back of a car: "Revolutionizing parking enforcement"..... hhhmm....parking lots aren't exactly fertile ground for French Revolution-style change...unless of course they mean totally changing the land use plan and digging up all the concrete to plant wildflowers and trees - now that's my kind of revolution.
I recognize "old soul" behavior in some of the fictional characters I know best.
Oh…you have me thinking now….
Huck Finn I think for sure. (I’m thinking of kids here!). Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) might be but I’d have to reread it for sure.
Celie from The Color Purple. Maybe even the dog Enzo in The Art of Driving in the Rain.
Who came to mind for you? I’m gonna keep thinking on this.
i've met children like this too. They feel like treasures among us.
Oh, this is just wonderful. I definitely relate to all of these characteristics personally, and as a teacher I have always been drawn to these 'old soul' students and tried to encourage without changing them. I also love the term 'timeless souls.' Thanks for sharing your wisdom on this.
Thank you Phoebe, not just for the comment but for your service as a teacher. So you can see them too! Not all teachers can—those children, then, are lucky to have you in their lives for seeing the unseen qualities they have in side them.
BTW: love the title of your page!
Thank you, Kert. I'm so glad to 'meet' another who also sees them - they can be too easily overlooked and wounded even.
Those of us who have been privileged and blessed to spend a good portion of our lives in the presence of children are among the more fortunate - especially in the context of families and schools and communities. The wisdom and insights of kids have fed my Spirit life for many years and even at this stage, the kids I see sparkle with delight, discovery and joy. I wouldn't want to miss any of that.
A friend, Rick Ackerly, a school Principal for many years, wrote a book, "The Genius of Children" which I recommend for parents and teachers. He also writes a I have an old post somewhere, "The Wisdom of Children" and I will try and dig it up for you later. Thanks, Kert, for adding meaning to my morning!
I am always impressed and humbled with the generosity of your deep reading and response Gary. Teachers who are in it for the right reasons ARE the fortunate ones because they know how much their lives are enriched by the presence of the kids in their lives. That’s 100% true! This is one of the things that bleeds my heart when I hear those in the larger society talk smack and disparage our schools and teachers—which includes our paras, our office staff, our custodians, our bus drivers…. Do, when you find the post from Rick, send it along. I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a book myself—LORD know we’ve got stories, right?
Yes…it’s more a feeling, right? One can sense the weight of them. Their depth.
May we all learn to be foils to the timeless soul gems. Watch their facets sparkle in different light. You are like the Master Goldsmith who brings out the best of each stone, the kids were lucky to have you as part of their education journey.
That is incredibly kind of you to say! Thank you Marjorie. Serving students over the course of my 33 years as a public school teacher and principal was my highest honor. I was lucky to have THEM in my life! I felt a part of thousands of families—not many can say that unless they, too, are educators.
I was an extrovert old soul kid. I lived to manipulate my teachers in my tween years, and in quite mischievous ways. I was a chameleon based on what I could get away with from that teacher…if they wouldn’t tolerate I was quiet, if they would I was the class clown constantly speaking up and cracking up the class. I used to wonder what some of my classmates thought of me seeing me in my different modes in different classes. Luckily the more mischievous side of this mellowed by high school, but still stayed a class clown in good ways…depending on the teacher.
Kinda like the court jester who’s the smartest one in the room knowing the joke is on everyone else. Right? Ironically, of course I had students like this (you) too and I loved them. They had the potential to be incredible leaders given their charisma and language acuity. A few were old souls as well who, for whatever reason, hid that part of themselves behind their humor. Thanks Jeffrey for a fun comment—brought back some memories of some fun kids.
So many great thoughts were going through my head in reading that. I have always said Alec has an old soul and what you wrote describes him well. I love that he has not lost that old soul energy. Matter of fact, that is one of the things I love most about him. I find myself smiling ear to ear, heart almost bursting when I listen to him talk.
Another thought I had was about several small pieces of paper that he wrote for me that I saved. Spelling and the handwriting was not perfect, but again it was.
Thanks for taking me down memory lane Kert. I am happy in this moment.
I'm happy to see you expanded on that wonderful comment. I still haven't read the full article. I'm very behind on . . . well, everything. But I wanted to jump in here before I forgot and thank you for the shout-out and for giving me a new perspective on the "old soul."
Old soul is how I was often described as a child.
I have been thinking about words since I read this a week or so ago. I thought of this when I read a slogan on the back of a car: "Revolutionizing parking enforcement"..... hhhmm....parking lots aren't exactly fertile ground for French Revolution-style change...unless of course they mean totally changing the land use plan and digging up all the concrete to plant wildflowers and trees - now that's my kind of revolution.
Count me in on that! And why doesn’t it surprise me you are one of the timeless souls?