School of Life
Nature’s chemical soup is ordered by catalytic love
Form and being are created to the beat of her mother’s heart
She bursts into the world, gulps her first breaths and cries
From that moment of birth her schooling begins
On leaving her mother’s womb she senses a vastness of sounds, lights and smells
Poorly formed shapes parade in front of her developing eyes
She grips a finger and discovers she can move
Trying to focus a little more her sight is filled with the beaming smile of her father
Her first uncertain steps bring untold bounty
Vision intact, perspective elongated, mobility enhanced, it is time to explore
Inside cupboards, under tables, up and down stairs, this way and that
Microscopic scrutiny of a tiny snail, a blade of grass, a fallen leaf, a morsel of bread
With speech in place the most powerful of questions is now her rapier
Yes, but why?
It brings new knowledge, new avenues to explore, new ways of thinking
And this is honed through the rigours of school
The transition from school to college mirrors her maturing as a young woman
She cherishes the subtlety of argument and the value of critique
Learning from tutors and peers in the free world of academia is such a prize
Her love of learning is firmly established before moving this time into the world of work
She discovers a new encyclopaedia of the workplace
The intrigue of internal politics and the mystique of informal relationship networks
In this pragmatic world the breadth and depth of her discipline expand manyfold
Now she understands that knowledge without experience and experience without knowledge are worthless
She stares lovingly into his eyes and he stares back with equal love
Not a word is spoken yet a thousand thoughts are shared
Together they explore the mysteries of the world far and wide
Theirs is a rich life of pleasure and discovery until the spectre calls
She awakes excited on a bright October morning
Work over, she is free to explore in her third age
New skills, new subjects, new experiences are there for the taking
It is as if she has been transported back to the beginning to travel some parallel course.
She lies motionless, her frail physical form struggling to house her questioning mind
Marvelling at the image of her granddaughter at her side, so young, so bright, thirsting for knowledge
There is no sadness or regret for she is graduating from the school of life
The lights dim, the door closes as she departs fulfilled
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