I've been spending a lot of time at school these past few weeks, working on stuff for the Halloween fair. I noticed a sign in the Art Room that they have "Sewing Machine" on their wish list. I have a half decent sewing machine gathering dust in my basement because I cannot do any sewing with Cady and Finn around right now. I've been thinking about letting them use it for a year but have hesitated because when you loan something you run the risk of it being damaged. It just seems selfish to keep it to myself when I have no idea when, if ever, I'm going to use it.
I was talking to a staff about it and she said that if they wanted it they needed to do more than just put it on a wish list. Even if they just sent an email out asking if anyone had a sewing machine. This is when I mentioned that I did have one. we talked about if it was a good idea for me to even loan it and she said she was going to encourage them to send an email out now, knowing there was a machine out there.
I thought about it. If this wasn't Sudbury and I knew that some people were looking for a sewing machine and I had one to loan I would just give it to them. But I've got The Philosophy in the back of my mind and I've been thinking that I'll wait for them to ask before I offer. It feels artificial though. Like I'm making it harder for them than it needs to be and not giving them an experience closer to real life, where serendipity often plays a role. I wonder, will they be more or less likely to use the machine if the step of asking for it is eliminated. In a way they did ask. they asked the universe, they put it on a piece of paper and in a very limited way put it out there. What is the crucial step to appreciate the relationship between effort and success? Would the appreciate the dumb luck that I just happenned to notice that they wanted a sewing machine? Is the fact that I'm even considering this to be a lesson a violation of The Philosophy? am I overthinking again? I think so!
On another note, there were some kids in the office getting prices on chemicals, I think for developing film. One of them noticed me walking by and said "We're building a bomb." I started to say "Well, as long as you're learning something" but checked myself and said "Well at least you're keeping busy." A girl said "At least we're learning something!" and we all laughed.
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When my husband's stepbrother was a teen, he had a marijuana plant growing in a pot on the windowsill of his basement bedroom. Upon discovery, my husband's mother went directly to the boy's father who smiled and said, "Well, at least he's taking an interest in gardening."
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