Reading the Classics

A poem by Brian Patten and then some

Reading the Classics
by Brian Patten

The Secret Garden will never age;
The tangled undergrowth remains as fresh
As when the author put down her pen.
Its mysteries are as poignant now as then.

Though Time's a thief it cannot thieve
One page from the world of make-believe.

On the track the Railway Children wait;
Alice still goes back and forth through the glass;
In Tom's Midnight Garden Time unfurls,
And children still discover secret worlds.

At the Gates of Dawn Pan plays his pipes;
Mole and Ratty still float in awe downstream.
The weasels watch, hidden in the grass.
None cares how quickly human years pass.

Though Time's a thief it cannot thieve
One page from the world of make-believe.

When I read this poem aloud to my girls this week, I got choked up. It so beautifully describes what my days look like right now. They are filled with reading aloud, sitting next to a child while they work through Math, learning Latin and Spanish alongside them, and falling down rabbit holes of learning at every corner.

A month before our homeschool year was scheduled to begin, I received notice that the Literature and Writing class my middle schooler was signed up for had been canceled. In an instant, the three hours a week I thought I could devote to my own writing goals were snatched away. This is the second year in a row this has happened, so after a few days of moaning and groaning, and at the suggestion of a good friend, I decided to take things into my own hands and create the experience I want for my kids. I am thrilled with the plans I’ve put together and the opportunities I’m creating for kids to talk about good books with other kids.

But. You knew there was a but, right?

Creating these plans and opportunities for my kids means shifting my own writing goals a bit. It means that manuscript I’ve been working on won’t get many hours dedicated to it unless I carve out time for overnight retreats. It means the edits for those essays in various stages of draft form will have to wait just a bit longer. It doesn’t mean I won’t write. It just means writing will look different. And creating masterpieces will take longer.

But here’s what I’m beginning to understand and accept. That is absolutely, 100% okay.

As women, many of us have been taught that we should want it all. We should want to be mothers and wives and also want to have a career of our own. We’ve been taught that self-care includes having something to call our own. We aren’t supposed to sacrifice our whole selves for the sake of our marriage or for our kids. It’s not healthy, they say.

Who even is they???

What I’m mulling over these days is this: What if mothering is the thing I most want? What if homeschooling is the career I want? Isn’t it enough, even though it means I don’t bring in a dime? These are questions I’ve been wrestling with since I first found out I was pregnant more than twelve years ago now. There is an essay waiting to be written—but there’s no time yet.

For now, I’m leaning into the knowledge that all of life is the writing life. That creativity looks a bit different depending on the season I find myself in. And that in time, there will be plenty of empty hours with which to fill my paper with my strokes of pen.

And the short answer is: Yes. It is enough.

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Someone once told me to “Write from where you are.” With that in mind, here’s a quick update about what you can expect here on Substack:

This newsletter will continue to remain free and will go out near the beginning of the month. Each month will include a brief opening essay or poem, a short list of books I’m reading, and my favorite recipes for the season. Occasionally I’ll throw in a playlist or product rec. Think of it as my monthly letter to you.

I’ve started a new free subsection of Soul Munchies here on Substack called How We Homeschool. This section will include a monthly post at the end of every month with a glimpse of what and how we’re learning. There will also be other home education related posts with tips, tricks, ideas, and book lists. (Most recently: Creating a Homeschool Vision and How to Read Twelfth Night with your Kids)

Even if you don’t homeschool, you might find some fun ideas for learning with your kids when they aren’t at school. To get email updates for this section, you’ll want to go to your Substack settings, and make sure “How We Homeschool” is toggled on:

For Paid Subscribers - The Journaling series will continue through the Fall. Five Quick Things will become The Good List and will continue to come out on off weeks. Anything else that I publish will be sent exclusively to you.

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Speaking of reading the classics, I’m still making my way through David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. This month, my book club is reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, and our book for my new Kids Book Club is Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter.

I’m also reading Pip Williams’ new book, The Bookbinder, which is not a classic but is historical fiction about how old books were bound by hand during the first World War.

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I’m loving this new Easy Eggplant Parmesan from Smitten Kitchen. Eggplant Parm can be so labor intensive, but this one feels actually feasible for even a weeknight.

A friend made a Cranberry Bean Platter for me a few months ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. September oddly feels like summer with July temps, so I’m loving anything that doesn’t heat up the kitchen. You can find the recipe in this cookbook.

The eggplant keeps rolling in, so I’m making a huge batch of this Eggplant Dal for the freezer this weekend (gifted link).

This is the time of year when I start making a monthly meal plan. Isn’t it lovely??

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“You can’t write what you’re going to write tomorrow or next week or next year without being who you are today.” ~Charlotte Donlon

My friend Charlotte is so wise. I’m so grateful for her voice in my life. They are giving me so much life right now. Read more from Charlotte right here.

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Until next time,

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Opening Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

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