This week was busy, with many projects running in parallel. Working alongside my almost three-year-old daughter has become my quickest mirror: the moment I grow stressed or unsettled, she reacts immediately. It reminds me to pause, re-center, and return to presence.
Over the weekend, I picked up my oldest daughter (18) from Brockwood Park School in England during parents’ weekend. It is a place I deeply admire, a nurturing environment in nature, largely free from media, where young people learn self-reflection, responsibility, and the courage to express their talents without fear of judgment.
The highest form of human intelligence is to observe without judging.
— J. Krishnamurti
Seeing these young people grow in such an atmosphere is profoundly moving. It confirms for me how essential respect, presence, and self-responsibility are and how rare they have become.
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.
— J. Krishnamurti
Sounds like your week came with two mindfulness coaches! Nothing like a three year old to expose stress faster than a mirror ever could—zero tolerance, instant feedback!
Well done you for noticing the signs, Brockwood sounds like a wonderful place.
Dorothea, what a clear and powerful connection. Your toddler and Brockwood Park are two sides of the same coin: teaching presence, responsibility, and non-judgment. Beautifully articulated.