Impressions in Wax

     Aristotle describes learning in this way: our minds are like soft wax, being impressed by a form that leaves a shape.
     It is so strange to see one child have very "soft wax," receiving impressions easily, while seeing another child have "hard wax," having to receive the new information over and over and over, and still not receiving the impression.
     I reviewed this data with my sweet Clare over and over again, and the poor girl just could not get it:

"Nektonic animals: swim.
 Benthic animals: scoot or walk.
 Sessile animals: do not move.
 Plankton: drift."

   I drew pictures; I wrote memory devises; I acted it out; I used different voice tones for each one.

   But I have seen it before, and hope to see it again: hard wax softens over time, with consistent and loving labor.  Eventually, a child will become facile with what was once impossible.
   I know I am that way too, with intellectual and spiritual matters: some things are just too hard at first, but eventually, the mind and heart become impressionable, and finally take on the form God desires.
   Old dogs really can learn new tricks!

(Note: As I was writing the above post, I was FORGETTING to pick my daughter up from co-op.  I had it in my head that the pick up time was "12:45," but it was really 12:30.  I had looked at the sheet with the time on it repeatedly!  Ah, the irony!)