Can You Unknot This?

By Paul Roberts

“I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.” Matthew 18: 3-5

That is the story in my head after day #1 of our five day venture into being Artists in Residence (I’m referring to it as AiR in my journals at this point) at Canyon Elementary School. Hm. Do I want the word “venture” or “adventure”? Let’s see what the internet can tell me.

“Venture” is a risky undertaking, often connected with business endeavors that can potentially go wrong. “Adventure” is an exciting journey, that could be dangerous or not, but is usually connected to the idea of fun.

Ahh. I want adventure. Definitely adventure.

Now back to the gospel of Matthew…

It has only taken one day of our five day AiR adventure for me to be impressed by the staff at Canyon, and it’s all because of the kids. So, good on you Jenny Ferreira, principal, who is also the 4th and 5th grade teacher out at Canyon. Along with her staff she has created a place that is simple and elemental, where the children, childhood, and the childlike are prized. Keep doing what you are doing, Jenny.

Kids crack me up. They can be so eager to please. They raise their hands with a question just because their neighbor raised her hand. They have no question, so when they get called on they just tell you a story about their cat. Or their grandma. Or what’s for lunch.

When Carol and I have adults who are struggling to understand and get into the stream of consciousness writing we suggest for their Sowing Seeds journal in the mornings, I’m going to tell them, “Just imagine you’re in a kindergarten class and call on the kid with the cat..”

Kindergarten kids are in the stream of consciousness, and everyone around them is getting splashed. It is capital “A” Awesome.

“Mr. Paul?”

We had discussed it the night before and decided we would go by Mr. Paul and Miss Carol.

I had left the teacher lunchroom and was in the front hallway of the school. My introvert self was enjoying the time with kids, but struggling a smidge with the lunchtime adult small-talk part of my day. 

“Mr. Paul?”

I think he was a fourth grader. By that time of day I had met 70 students between kindergarten and 5th grade, with one more class to go, so I could be wrong. Most of the kids were already outside for the lunch recess. He held up the sneaker in his left hand. 

“Can you unknot this?” 

The gordian knot of black laces looked intimidating for me, let alone a kid his age. I could picture him pulling and tugging at that mess, trying in vain to hustle outside before all the swings were taken, only to be held up by a shoe with strings so tangled the job seemed hopeless.

“I can take care of this.” It was less complicated than it looked. “There you go.”

The wonder in his eyes at the brief process, coupled with his smile, left me thankful for the opportunity to simply be of help this week.

I think Carol and I will end up being proud of the work the kids do while presenting to their parents, teachers, and friends at the end of the week. And Carol and I will likely receive kudos for the work we have done from those same people. But it is not so much about the end product as it is about the process along the way.

I hope I get to “unknot” a few more sneakers before the week is over. It’s a great way to keep learning. 

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Are you getting opportunities to interact with a wide variety of people? Share with us a story about something you learned from someone very different from yourself.

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