Candles on the Water

Sunday morning, drenched in fog. Coffee scalds the tip of my tongue.

I'm suddenly reminded of Pete's Dragon and candles on the water, which is, of course, not what I sat down to write about. It's relevant, though, because for many of us, homeschooling is uncharted waters. We are not trad, not influencers, and certainly not religious, but we are navigating these seas all the same.

And sometimes it gets foggy.

Sometimes we pick up a map and realize that the cartographer had a whole different outlook.

Or we solve one problem just to come face to face with another. We by pass Charybdis only to brace ourselves for Scylla's sneak attacks.

It might be math that's causing problems. Or friendships. Adolescence or the brutal weight of perfectionism.

These are admittedly realities of parenthood in all its forms. But when you're a secular homeschooler, self-doubt can creep in so easily. You might find yourself questioning your decisions, wondering if they would be happier in school. A voice might sneak in, asking "Did I cause this?"

And still, these are realities of parenthood in all its forms. Our kids struggle. We do our best to offer them candles on the water because it really isn't our job to clear away the fog.

We need our candles on the water, too.

Numbers of secular homeschoolers may be growing, but it can still be isolating. It can still be difficult to find your people.

And that's why I keep showing up.

I'll be your candle on the water.

And you can be someone else's.

And our web grows stronger.

We need each other, possibly more than ever.

If you're out there, I want to invite you to follow along. Subscribe so you can comment and connect. I don't write enough these days to be an annoying presence in your inbox. Or take it a step further and join the Road Less Traveled membership community. Because we need real connections and support from people we trust, and we deserve to have a community of our own away from facebook.