What we pass on to our children

Parents, whether they choose to home educate their children or send them to school, teach them so much day after day in the way they live their lives and the homes they create. They share their own passions with their children just by being with them, it might be a song, or a book or an interest in old maps, ancient ruins, cathedrals, manicuring your nails, gardening, old westerns... the list is endless. 

Lotta and me doing the tree

But listen to any interview or read any biography and almost every time people talk about the things their parents passed on to them, the things they taught them or the passions they shared with them. I wanted to write about that today because I think it's something beautiful and precious.

Maya the artist

We may not realise sometimes how significant the moments we share together may turn out to be. Little did I know as a small girl that watching my dad take photos would inspire me to love photography too. Or that being in the living room with him at the weekends when he played his records would give me a lifelong love of jazz. 

My dad with his camera

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald's birth and as I've been listening to radio shows about this woman I've long admired, I was surprised how many of the songs were so familiar that I could sing along line for line. Even all these years later those impressions from childhood are incredibly strong.

Many people were interviewed about what they loved about the First Lady of Jazz's music and over and again people mentioned the word joy. And it hit me then, that when my dad shared this wonderful music with me, not only did he introduce me to jazz, to a beautiful voice and it's amazing scats, he also shared his joy with me and gave me a touchstone for that feeling throughout my life. 
I wonder sometimes which of my own passions I'll pass on to my children, I hope my love of words, I hope my enjoyment of the natural world, I hope some touchstones for joy.

Noah collecting shells