Today’s Good Omen: Blue Seeds

Today was my first full day in Malawi and it felt so heartening and productive to be back with my friends in Lilongwe. I spent a good part of the morning at the Demonstration School with the principal, Caroline Majiga, and we talked about the steps we need to take to move forward on the children’s reading garden. The focus in the coming two weeks will be to plan how we will make this project be something of and for this community. I know we can do it.

I had a very warm welcome from everyone at the school today. All the children were smiling and waving when I pulled up with my bags of “stuff.” I connected with two of the Standard 4 (4^th grade) teachers and showed them how I turned some of the drawings that were created by the children last time I was here into notecards and bookmarks that I plan to use as modest fundraising tools in the months to come. I visited with my friend Phillip Nachonie and talked briefly with his class of young teachers-in-training. What a great crew!

Very soon, there will be meetings with members from the Forum for Reading Education and visits with guest artists and thinkers who will lend their expertise. I don’t want to say too much more until these things start to happen. For now, rest assured that all is well.

I also want to say that I feel the spirit of my father, Georg, with me on this trip. He sent rainbows to Sheboygan just before I left, feathers to Kensington Gardens when I landed, and here in Lilongwe, bright blue seeds hiding in the grass having dropped from a Traveller’s Palm.  (The double L in “traveller” is the British spelling, by the way.)

It is too dark now to take a picture, but I did go out on the lawn with my flashlight to collect some seeds. It was Mel, the proprietor here at Wendels Guest House (the best place to stay if ever you are in Lilongwe) who showed me the seeds. I know dad would absolutely love them, blue being his favorite color.

According to the website, annieworldseeds.com, The Traveller’s Palm has very deep roots in folklore and tradition. There is a saying, “If a traveller stands directly in front of a Traveller’s Palm and makes a wish in good spirit, that wish will definitely come true.” You know what I will be wishing for in good spirit as I head out each day here in Malawi.