Are we factory farming our children?

It has been an interesting time returning to our hometown after a near decade absence.  Although, we visited during that time we were not connected enough to see systemic changes in the demographics or the institutions.

One obvious change is the transformation of Elementary Schools into Seniors Housing.  I think I have seen near half a dozen sites in the city that this has happened.  With the disappearance of the Elementary Schools comes the disappearance of the green spaces and/or play grounds that are part of the school ground.  The land use changes so that trees are chopped down, play equipment dismantled and we 'pave paradise and put up a parking lot'.  This may seem like a small thing, but the character of the neighbourhood changes.  Houses become less family-friendly because there is less space to play and meet with neighbourhood friends.  Maybe you could make the argument that the houses in these areas, and thence the neighbourhoods,  become less community-friendly...to facilitate community there needs to be structures in place to support interactions and relationships.

Following this trend the mega-school model has been embraced...gather children and young adults from all over the city and pour them into a single large building.  Of course, there are arguments about use of resources and maybe a spread sheet could show that the budget is less if one building replaces two or three other small buildings.  But I wonder if all the extenuating factors are considered, such as carbon costs of longer commutes for both staff and students, relationship costs of larger classes, loss of interaction with families, change of relationships among students who have no means away from school to maintain  contact with classmates.

As my dh and I were talking about these things he drew the comparison between factory farming and the model of education currently being implemented here.  Herding children onto fenced in lots, packing them in buildings row on row, limiting physical contact...do we know that this builds healthy, well-rounded individuals? ...or has the god of convenience working alongside the god of profit-margins pushed us into missing the reality of what our society has been embracing? 

As a mommy with four children the demographics of the city I live in matters, not so much in who is around, but how friendly the city is for children and families.  Will it become more and more challenging to find free space for children to run, climb and explore?  Will it become increasingly difficult to live life with my children or as a family?

The love of a parasite?

If you have a relationship based on need, I can't survive without the energy that I draw from you.  You have not reached a loving relationship; you have reached the relationship of a parasite.  Bruxy Cavey, of the  Meeting House said this in a sermon entitled A Revolution of Love.

This struck a chord with me today.  In some ways I can say that this quote reflects my experience.  As a young woman, I recall having an aversion to needing someone or to being so needed by someone...part of it was my own issues with being dependent on another; but also I did not want to be so vital to another that their happiness was hung on me...too much pressure!

And when it came to marriage I remember my husband to be saying that he didn't need me.  At first blush this might be a terribly unromantic statement.  I understood him to be saying I do not need to be with you, I want to be with you.  The reason that I understood this was because he was speaking a reality that I was experiencing.  I did not need to be married, but I really wanted to be, I chose to be.  

There is a shadow in this that can help to illustrate my relationship with God...in some ways every single human being needs God and needs to be in relationship with Him.  So I cannot say that I did or do not need God, but my need was not based on needing to subscribe to a social construct or social expectation.  My need was birthed in the light of a deep desire to be living a meaningful life, I knew that this life needed to be connected to my Creator, my Father, who cares deeply for my well being and was complete without me, but still sought out relationship with me.  There is a relief in God not being dependent on my love, and an honour to know that He wants it.  For me this is a freedom to come to God as I am, warts, flaws, hurts, frustrations and all...no need to shield Him from what is within me...He already beholds it all.

Maybe I am a parasite, a bit of blue moss, on the tree that is God...but since He doesn't suffer from my presence, the relationship is not truly parasitic... I could maybe make an argument that is is symbiotic, as in commensalism...but that will have to wait for another time.  For now I cling to the tree, sink myself into him and drink deeply of the nourishment he provides.