As I check in frequently on the news from Minneapolis/St Paul, where my oldest lives and whose burning neighborhood I know like the back of my hand, it seems irrelevant to tinker with analog toys.
However a message recorded by naturalist John Muir Laws a few days ago caught my attention and I thought was worth sharing. I have often written about nature journaler Laws, one of the most generous, selfless educators influencing young people today, and whether you engage in that specific activity or not there is much to learn from his passion, joy, and love for the subject and for people.
Paying attention to others is in essence a way of showing love and really only tangentially touches on nature journaling. We can all give this gift to another of our area of passion.
The Gift of Attention
Several years ago, visiting with Laws in person, he told me this story:
By his own admission [Laws] was a child so fidgety and distracted he annoyed even himself. He did not succeed or read or think in a way that gibed with the normal but his mom saw him pay all his young attention to Miss Neila Watley as she drew wildflowers one day. He and his parents were with Watley for the day and Laws told me that he followed her like a little duckling as she demonstrated her nature drawing ideas, peering over her shoulder, captivated by her every mark.
Laws’ mom later asked Miss Watley every single item in her nature drawing kit, bought each one, and presented them to her son. He took off. Drawing was his refuge. And he's gone on to write, publish, teach and inspire thousands to follow in his footsteps.
Miss Neila Wately now attends John Muir Laws' classes in her wheelchair.
The gift of paying attention to another: John Muir Laws’ mom had the patience and insight to unlock her particular child's secret inner lock.
I was moved therefore to tears watching the following video, Laws’ mom having just passed away, and what he found when going through her papers.
So How Do You Teach Nature Journaling, or Your Area of Passion?
You model it, you love it, you lean over to the child at your side, or the adult you can accompany in your journey, and show them.
“You don’t have to have pretty pictures or the perfect journal. Look for those opportunities to help start the next person. If you are a parent, a grandparent, an uncle, a school teacher, anyone who has an opportunity to be in regular contact with a child, or another adult, you also can be a nature journaling enabler.
“Give somebody the resources, and the permission, and the resources to start.”
You can specifically be an ambassador, a mentor, or be a nature journaling buddy. “We all could do this in whatever level of experience we have.”
When Laws’ mother noticed his fascination with the process Neila Watley modeled and provided him with all the tools he needed, and then kept his journal aside from all the trinkets and debris of life, Laws said those acts of attention, “really made me feel seen and loved.”
“Journaling is an act of love, and sharing it is an act of love. And what we need right now is more of that.”
How to Teach Nature Journaling, the Resource
You do not need a product, it is only there to support and help once you have questions that need answering. One place to start is here. Just record what you see carefully with whatever tools you already own.
But once you ask questions, you will appreciate answers, and Jack has collected many, many answers and ideas in his new How to Teach Nature Journaling.
I was privileged to have the raw text before it was refined and published, and used it for two years of teaching high school students. It is even better now.
You can download the text for free as a PDF, or buy a print copy to support Laws’ work.
For access to a free version, go to Laws’ store, and in the dropdown menu under Format, choose Free PDF Download.
At the same link you can also choose Softcover Print Edition and support Laws’ work.
Alternately, you can support both your local independent bookstore and this site, by purchasing the softcover from Paperblogging’s new Bookshop.org page at the link below.
(Paperblogging’s explanation of Bookshop.org and its structure here.)
Thank You!
Thank you for being a Paperblogging reader. Whatever your interest in the world of analog tools and the search for joy in their midst, may you spread the joy you find there in increasing measure. Creative solutions are certainly in abundant need in our world today.