Endings are Beginnings
Ahh…well here it is, the end of the school year. The feet are standing in summer already. School is like a memory. It was a very busy Spring up until the very end. And while the school visits are over, we are heavy into our next big project, our latest venture, Gender Now Coloring Book, but more about that later.
It’s time to remember and close the books on this last school year. May 13 we went into Paul Revere Elementary School here in San Francisco. I was asked to come visit the school by the mother of one of Zai’s close friends, Virginia, who I adore. So not only was Virginia there (they met in nursery school and became deep friends) but for the first time Zai got to come visit me “at work.” 
This made it extra special. I always tell her tales of my adventures, but I LOVED having her there in person. I always have a lot to learn from kids, but having one of my greatest teachers with me, my sweet Zai, was awesome.
The very next day Matthew and I were off to El Granada Elementary School near Half Moon Bay. I got to talk to some excellent artists there even before we got started. It was an evening program and there were a lot of parents there. They seemed like a good crowd, so for the first time when I pulled “a Bob” I asked the grown-ups to join in. Ok, I was impressed. These folks not only stood up and did the yell as big and strong as the kids, but admitted that they didn’t “get all the Bob out” the first time and needed to yell some more. Right on! I thought. These folks are here to play. 
From these good grown-ups I learned that I should always ask all the grown-ups to “do the Bob” with me!
May 19 I was off to East Palo Alto by myself. I’ve gotten spoiled having Matthew and even Zai join me, but it was a beautiful drive. It reminded me of the olden days when I traveled about by myself all the time. I blasted my favorite chants and sang my brains out the whole way. When I arrived I met the very nice librarian and thought to myself, what a fun outfit she has on. I wondered what kind of school this was when I noticed other folks had very fun clothes on too. When I met the principal she informed me that I had arrived on “Crazy Day” when everyone dressed “crazy.” I laughed my head off. For real, I just thought they were a fun crowd! When I met the kids, I asked who was dressed “crazy” for Crazy Day. So many! Some had their shirts or their pants on backwards or shoes on opposite feet, colored hair, wild clothes. Then I asked who thought I was dressed for crazy day and every single one of them raised their hand! Ha! I told them this is how I dress all the time! 
I’m a “dresser” and a very expressive one at that! I say every day is a good day to dress different than “normal.” Normal…my, my, why on Earth be normal? Even for a day? But I haven’t gone so far as to wear my clothes backwards or my shoes on opposite feet. I’ll have to try that one on.
And of course, the final fun of the year was here in my town. May 26 I visited a first grade class at the Mission Public Library, not far from where I live. The visit was initially arranged by an old friend Dr. Miguel Lopez, a professor and compadre who teaches multicultural children’s literature in Monterey. It felt like the perfect ending for a busy year, sitting on the carpet and talking with them I could feel the year closing. They were some excellent question-askers and artists too! I felt pulled to stay longer as I hung out with them and we talked and they colored. Hanging out with kids always teaches me, inspires me, enlivens me in ways I can trust and learn through. 
But I notice a deeper pull to work with educators in universities, conferences and workshops. I finally left the library, the kids coloring away. In that moment it already felt like I was walking into the next year, new work, new things to discover and learn. What will I learn with the grown-ups? Will they play with me as hard as the kids? Will they come forward with their brilliance, their questions, their immense generosity similar to the kids? From what I’ve seen so far with grown-ups, I fancy that much much more fun is in store and that the kid in each of us will come forward and say yes! Let’s claim some face! Let’s yell some Bob. Let’s find our way and change this world where we belong and where our creative force can flow and fly and be FREEEEEEE!
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