In the past month both Gogo and Gramps and Granny and Grandpa have some to visit, and I think all of them at some point asked the same question when dropping Grace off at school. First they would say what a beautiful setting it is for a school, and that Grace is really fortunate to be able to go to a school with that environment. Then the question would come, “Do you think she appreciates how beautiful it is?” which was usually follow by, “She doesn’t really know any different, so probably doesn’t realise how lucky she is.”

This is the road that leads up to the school

Writing this, and thinking about it, I think it is important that we help her to understand what she has, how privileged she is (in so many ways), and how to appreciate both nature and the beauty of everyday (the things we so easily miss because they are a part of each day).

I know for myself I’m often in my own world in my head when driving to and from school, thinking about work, zoned into the road ahead and getting from one place to the next. So I need to stop, breathe it in and allow Grace and Eli to too. They’ll only appreciate it if they have a model to learn from.