I tried to add an RSS feed of Sonlight's latest News and Announcements to this blog today, but something wasn't working. In fact, it still isn't working.
So I poked around online. Nothing. I searched the Blogger help forum. Still nothing. I even posted a plea for help. Yep--nothing.
I've been stymied by a system over which I have no control, and I have no idea what goes on in the background that could be causing the problem.
And it's really frustrating when that happens.
Granted, learning to let go of control is an important life lesson. Learning to adapt when something refuses to work is another vital skill. But in cases like these, that's not really what's at stake. In this instance, the danger is that I may just give up. There's nothing I can do, and so I must wait for someone else to do something. And that is a very dangerous lesson to learn; it promotes apathy and discourages creative problem solving.
...almost like the bureaucracy of educational systems. There are many aspects of public education--not to mention most other government-driven aspects of life--over which we have very little control. Buying into these systems promotes the idea that we must wait for the government--or other entity of authority--to come save us if something goes wrong. It stifles personal responsibility. In many cases, we end up with no control over what is happening, and have no way of truly finding the source of the problem.
Homeschooling, while potentially messier--like me piecing together code for an RSS widget--offers control and a hands-on approach to any issues that may arise.
May you find ways to overcome the obstacles you encounter today, even if you have to get your hands dirty. And if you're like me, and waiting on "the powers that be," may the red tape be cut, and the issue resolved satisfactorily. Remember: If you are not satisfied with the results, there are other options.
...but you may have to start doing something yourself.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father
