Nature as a co-teacher

A rescued animal will not come towards a rushing hand. Neither will a child in a hard moment. What both respond to is a quiet, undramatic presence — someone who is willing to wait.

Nature keeps returning me to this lesson. Every time I try to hurry an animal into a routine, we both feel worse. Every time I slow down and follow their lead first, we find each other.

You don't need a farm to teach these lessons. A pot of soil on a windowsill, a bird feeder outside a window, or a walk where the child sets the pace are all rich, honest ways to practise the same skills: noticing, waiting, respecting a pace that isn't ours.