Education – ShellyB

Granny made sure Billy was listening and said that she was so proud of Billy for asking his question about how did Granny know it was going to rain, because if you never ask a question, you’ll never find an answer.

She asked Billy if he understood and he said yes because even though he was only 6 years old, it was a really easy question.

If you don’t ask; you’ll never know.

“You’re a good boy, Billy”

“Thanks, Granny; but how do you know if it’s going to rain?”

“Before I tell you, I need you to make me a promise”

“Okay, Granny”

“This is the first time Granny is asking you to make a promise. A promise should never be asked or made lightly. Granny promises to only ask you to make a promise on the most important things, and you must promise to only make a promise if you are absolutely determined to keep that promise with everything inside of you. A promise needs to be an unbreakable vow, a resolute determination, a total commitment, a solemn oath to completely and utterly keep your word.”

Billy understood the seriousness of what he was about to agree to and with chest swelling, heart pounding, eyes misting, voice breaking but mind resolving; he promised.

“Well then Billy… I want you to promise me to learn.”

“I don’t understand Granny”

“Why did you ask me how I knew it was going to rain?”

“I wanted to know. It was mysterious and intriguing to see you get it right every day and I wanted to find out how you did it.”

“That’s my good boy, Billy. Do that. Every day, all the time, for the rest of your life; do that. Ask, find out, be inquisitive, look for answers, read. Learn, LEARN, LEARN!! If you don’t know, find out. Once you know; find something new, but learn. Do you promise, Billy?”

“I promise, Granny”

“Do you absolutely, solemnly, unconditionally promise to learn… every day, all the time?”

Once again, the tone of Granny’s voice stirred a realization in Billy of how serious this was and he looked into Granny’s blue eyes and promised.

Granny hugged Billy and told him that he was her favourite person in the whole world and she loved him so much and she was so proud of him.

The combination of the importance of the event, together with the effusive expressions of love and pride and joy, cemented Billy’s resolve and from that day he kept his promise and began a lifelong quest of learning.

“Can I give you your first bit of learning to do?”

“Okay, Granny”

You asked how I knew it was going to rain; so now you go and found how the rain works. What makes it rain, Billy?”

“The clouds, Granny”

“How does the water get into the clouds?”

“I don’t know, Granny”

“Go find out.”

“Okay, Granny; but how do know when it’s going to rain?”

Granny looked into Billy’s eyes. She was smiling in a way that expressed a combination of love, tenderness, anticipation but also a hint of knowing that she was about to give Billy an answer that would start them on a journey that would allow Granny to teach Billy all of her rules but most of all a smile of joy, because she knew that Billy was ready to receive them.

Granny paused for a while, just smiling, until she knew that Billy was about to break the silence.

“I have a magic donkey.”

“What??”

“A magic donkey.” Granny could hardly smile any bigger by now.

She pointed out the donkey on the window sill and said that every morning she looked at the donkey and he told her if it was going to rain or not.

“How does HE know, Granny?”

“Ah, it’s magic, Billy.”

Most 6-year-old children have not yet lost their capacity for wonder and Billy was no exception.

“Wow, Granny; that is so cool! A magic donkey”

“Do you want to know a secret, Billy?”

Well, that was it for poor little Billy. Granny was a master teacher. Solemn vows, assignments to learn, magic donkey and now a secret. Billy was so enraptured that his heart and mind were forever ready to receive instruction. He thought Granny was amazing, wonderful, incredible, fascinating and every other word that a 6-year-old didn’t even know yet and it this sense of adoration that made all her future lessons so easy to accept, remember and apply.

“What’s the secret Granny?”

“You have to know, that no matter how much you know, there will always be something that you will never know. You don’t know how the water gets in the clouds and you don’t know how the donkey can tell when it’s going to rain. The first one, you can find out by going to the library, but let the second one remain a mystery. Learning can either be fun or boring and the thing that makes the difference is what’s inside of you. If you can keep some magic in your heart and feel that sense of “Wow, that is so cool, Granny”. If you can keep a sense of wonder and excitement, then learning will be a joy and a journey.”