tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post1968473436929570523..comments2023-10-22T10:31:09.224-04:00Comments on Just BEing John-Michael: The ChildrenJohn-Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-73631080646454575052008-03-08T03:39:00.000-05:002008-03-08T03:39:00.000-05:00How absolutely marvelous Cath!! I am so glad that ...How absolutely marvelous Cath!! I am so glad that you have spoken of this with me. <BR/><BR/>Yes, being safely "PC" is a HUGE issue here as well ... and I told my host in the library that I would "go out blazing" if need be, but I would be sent away telling the children that " love you" was not a "four letter word." It was a GRAND experience ... for ALL involved.<BR/><BR/>Lovin' yaJohn-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-53805070329972089652008-03-07T20:51:00.000-05:002008-03-07T20:51:00.000-05:00Dear dear Mister Brown!I decided to look at some o...Dear dear Mister Brown!<BR/>I decided to look at some of your back posts and only got to this one, drawn to it by my own thoughts on my children and how precious they are. What a special man you are. Reading what you have achieved and also your comments reassures me even further of your genuine love for people and I so wish I had taken the time to read this before! Still, I have now and as I said in another post (and is my catchphrase at the moment) better late than never!<BR/><BR/>It reminds me of when I trained to teach. I never did teach after qualifying. Many reasons. One is that the world on this side of the pond (and maybe yours with "qualified" teachers) is so ridiculously PC, touching children is a big no-no. To say "I love You" would probably have me on a paedo register. This upset me greatly in one school where children clearly had little love in their lives, and a hurt child could not be hugged. A child could not sit on my knee. What a sad world.<BR/><BR/>The other part of this post that made me smile was your telling of "reading" a story without a book. My leaning and "specialty" was English and drama and I always taught "early years" as we say here. I read without books. Used imagination, my arms, hands, a chair, the floor, voice intonation, you know what I mean. These stories would have the children transfixed far longer than the allotted 15 minutes they were meant to last.<BR/><BR/>Guess who taught me to do that?<BR/><BR/>My dad. No training. Just being my dad. At the ripe old age of about 8 or 9, I knew the whole story of Tolkein's Lord of the Rings. Even now, as a bookworm, I struggle to read that book. But I know the story because dad told it to me and my brother. He didn't read it out. He made it come alive. <BR/><BR/>That's what you did. Now I know that is why you are my "virtual" surrogate father! <BR/><BR/>And we still make up little stories today. And they're the best. We all star in them!Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01247084030899971480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-35899373298103675132008-03-06T03:42:00.000-05:002008-03-06T03:42:00.000-05:00And, Dear Misty Dawn, with no less enthusiasm and ...And, Dear Misty Dawn, with no less enthusiasm and joy, I happily embrace and celebrate your love. As I bask in, and delight in my new and fresh love of You.<BR/><BR/>You bless my heart!John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-55802310588744324342008-03-05T23:59:00.000-05:002008-03-05T23:59:00.000-05:00I have tears streaming down my face. You, my frie...I have tears streaming down my face. You, my friend... are an amazingly beautiful man.<BR/><BR/>And may I just say that, through your words... I have come to 'love you Mr. Brown'.Misty DawnShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15815037247940459349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-55244225367394589622008-03-04T03:27:00.000-05:002008-03-04T03:27:00.000-05:00Thank you, Tati. Blessing gratefully accepted.Thank you, Tati. Blessing gratefully accepted.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-51698072723203423222008-03-03T19:20:00.000-05:002008-03-03T19:20:00.000-05:00Bless youBless youtanya mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03342492814993459178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-76895859686785259382008-03-03T17:32:00.000-05:002008-03-03T17:32:00.000-05:00Such a hunger children have for a way to comfortab...Such a hunger children have for a way to comfortable express all of the magnificent wonder that wells up within them.<BR/><BR/>A big reason for my love of You and others who honor their children.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-18871768958821529082008-03-03T16:16:00.000-05:002008-03-03T16:16:00.000-05:00What a beautiful post - "I love you Mister Brown" ...What a beautiful post - "I love you Mister Brown" made me tear up - what a wonderful memory for you and for him too...Don Mills Divahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03733674458423525738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-59794546691525381442008-03-03T03:16:00.000-05:002008-03-03T03:16:00.000-05:00Jules ... You matter! ... to Me.Your words matter ...Jules ... You matter! ... to Me.<BR/><BR/>Your words matter to Me. Your spirit matters to Me.<BR/><BR/>Hearing from You, matters to Me. <BR/><BR/>Your giving of your Self (which you do so very generously and gently in your comments) matters to me.<BR/><BR/>I am grateful for You.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-2577787696314164442008-03-03T01:22:00.000-05:002008-03-03T01:22:00.000-05:00Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It bro...Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It brought tears to my eyes. It is so important to share our hearts and time with the children. In their busy little lives that are full of distractions and tragedy, they need the assurance that they matter...even when they don't realize at first that that is what they need.<BR/>That is everyones' need....to know that they matter.Jules~https://www.blogger.com/profile/13732679095832415575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-70581290106858310512008-03-02T19:32:00.000-05:002008-03-02T19:32:00.000-05:00You are so welcome, Dear Lady. I must give a whole...You are so welcome, Dear Lady. I must give a whole bunch of credit to the late Leo Buscaglia for his awakening me to the need for a vocabulary of love in the world that each of us influence. Some of the rough and burly men at the warehouse (where I pick up my daily supply of newspapers for delivery) took a bit of adjustment to become comfortable with my "Hey! I love you"s. But without exception all enjoy the respectful validation of their worth.<BR/><BR/>It is powerful! (and makes for a nicer world to share)John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-85472828240518598362008-03-02T19:22:00.000-05:002008-03-02T19:22:00.000-05:00Thank you John-Michael for your reminder to say th...Thank you John-Michael for your reminder to say those very important words, I Love You, to our children EVERY DAY!FrazzMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08436930126967570313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-73711524783529879872008-03-01T23:46:00.000-05:002008-03-01T23:46:00.000-05:00Your children are richly blessed, Rose, as I am, b...Your children are richly blessed, Rose, as I am, by your caring attention.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-79316102156692788102008-03-01T22:25:00.000-05:002008-03-01T22:25:00.000-05:00Awe Mister Brown if only there were many more of y...Awe Mister Brown if only there were many more of you in this world...and I pray that all children can feel "loved" - I am one of those smothering mothers who still hold my boys on my lap daily and tell them how much they are loved, and how lucky I am to have them. And oh they just love me back!!! Not once do they ever tell me to stop...eventually they will, but for now I am oh so blessed for those moments....you are a gentle soul Mr. Brown...<BR/>RoseKissing of the Frogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11621769823368917856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-74276086981048818942008-03-01T17:17:00.000-05:002008-03-01T17:17:00.000-05:00Dear Shrinky, All of the water in that silly littl...Dear Shrinky, All of the water in that silly little "pond" between us has no diluting effect on my fondness for who you are, as evidenced by the spirit in which you speak.<BR/><BR/>My world is made better by your presence in it.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-56206443692074049762008-03-01T17:13:00.000-05:002008-03-01T17:13:00.000-05:00Crystal, My Dear Lady,How you have every bit of my...Crystal, My Dear Lady,<BR/><BR/>How you have every bit of my heart! The burden of finding, within your own awareness, an understanding of, and adequate response to what your child's desires and wishes are, on a moment-by-moment basis is too overwhelming to consider.<BR/><BR/>My Matthew's CP limits his mental functions in ways that were undefinable (outside his readily obvious physical limitations) and I am acutely aware of the unending sense of urgency and immediacy that dominated my every moment as I sought to discover, and then respond to in a constructive and encouraging way, the nature of his brains malfunctions.<BR/><BR/>And I see in even the children who are not similarly challenged, their own individual handicaps created by an isolation from their emotional and spiritual needs. This awareness motivates me to respond to them in a manner kin to the urgency that my being Matt's Dad has made an active and compelling part of me.<BR/><BR/>You have my heart's admiration, respect, and affection.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-30299887303948685702008-03-01T15:42:00.000-05:002008-03-01T15:42:00.000-05:00Ah, Mr. Brown,We love you too - it's contagious!Ah, Mr. Brown,<BR/><BR/>We love you too - it's contagious!Shrinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18401403773851253351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-69472723245051881072008-03-01T15:36:00.000-05:002008-03-01T15:36:00.000-05:00Those children will never forget you. I only wish...Those children will never forget you. I only wish we could have someone like you in every school. It is so important for children to feel loved, cared for, needed and wanted not only at home but also as they learn in their acedemic environment. As you may know my daughter, Amy, is autistic and she may never fully understand feelings outside of the home. A little bit of light shining on each child that day will have set them up for the rest of their lives. Exactly the way I have progressed for Amy.<BR/><BR/>Crystal xxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-81781241188872039302008-03-01T12:25:00.000-05:002008-03-01T12:25:00.000-05:00Amy Y, My Dear One, from one whose dedicated and l...Amy Y, My Dear One, from one whose dedicated and loving commitment is to a loving impact on young lives ... yours is appreciated insight, indeed.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-38483793082642939262008-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:002008-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:00My "Thanks" is to you, Corrie, for your ever-kind ...My "Thanks" is to you, Corrie, for your ever-kind thoughtfulness.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-86987919301155310372008-03-01T12:22:00.000-05:002008-03-01T12:22:00.000-05:00Thank you cicero, for that (in the mind reading) r...Thank you cicero, for that (in the mind reading) recollection!!John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-8375642415595157142008-03-01T12:19:00.000-05:002008-03-01T12:19:00.000-05:00Your "With our techno world and rustle and bustle,...Your "With our techno world and rustle and bustle, children do miss out on those "gentler, quieter" times" reminded me of the day that a gentleman (who had been conducting business with Carole, in the Library whilst I was "reading" to the children) asked to speak to me.<BR/><BR/>It seems that he was a representative for a publishing company. "I have been observing you for the past half hour. And I must tell you that ALL of the literature says that what I observed happening between you and those students ... is simply IMPOSSIBLE. All of the literature is in agreement that children of that age CAN NOT maintain a focus or interest for that long without the use of visual aids."<BR/><BR/>You must know, here, that I had "read" to the class ... with no books. I used that day to introduce the children to their imaginations. With the example of my grandparents and others of their generation and circumstance having neither book nor library resource (on the remote farm), I introduced Folk Songs (which I sang ... complete with dramatic effect and gesture) and opned a whole new world of their mind's ability to create pictures and images. <BR/><BR/>Three of them came back the next week to tell me that they had been comparing their similar experiences of "seeing the stories" in their minds, with each other. And wanted to thank Mister Brown for teaching them to do that.<BR/><BR/>(How much did I LOVE that?!?!)John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-35978477175021456242008-03-01T12:07:00.000-05:002008-03-01T12:07:00.000-05:00Melissa, I am certain that your presence in Hope's...Melissa, I am certain that your presence in Hope's school is anticipated with relish by all who have opportunity to enjoy you.<BR/><BR/>A spirit the brings comfort and joy is revealed through your messages.John-Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12301981965656607401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-25069740264024745952008-03-01T11:23:00.000-05:002008-03-01T11:23:00.000-05:00That was lovely, Mr Brown :)I am sure that you mad...That was lovely, Mr Brown :)<BR/>I am sure that you made a bigger impact on those lil guys' lives than you'll ever know.<BR/>Bless you for that!Amy Yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06303953793008491241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25195308.post-48318568713585543632008-03-01T11:03:00.000-05:002008-03-01T11:03:00.000-05:00What a sweet experience, thanks for sharing it.What a sweet experience, thanks for sharing it.Mrs. Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14159440829600935461noreply@blogger.com