Eidos

One of the things we discussed at St. John's College while reading Plato was "eidos" or ideal forms, abstract models of everything that exists. We know a chair is a chair because our eternal soul knows the eidos of a chair, an eternal form that helps us to recognize a chair as a chair. Having children, watching them pick up languge and so easily categorizing things, I have become quite certain of eidos. I remember Jaden learning his first words and how he could name a live dog animal as well as a calendar picture of a dog as "dog." I have watched Asher understand the catgories of colors, shapes, numbers, letters, toys, weapons. I remember playing cars with Asher before he could identify colors, and he made up color names for the cars - he played with the brown truck while I played with the red truck.

As Michael and I have gone through changes in our relationship, people often ask me how the kids are doing. Harper is much harder to read - she's been so young and nonverbal that I have hints only in changes in her mood, her health, whether she is reaching developmental milestones. She seems to be as resiliant as we can hope and developing normally (and quite outspoken in her new found skills). Asher gives us a few more clues in his speech and emotions. He also seems quite resiliant and adaptable to his parents' new relationship. His categorizing ability comes into play with his parents - we are similiar to him and in that category should also all be spendign time together. In talking to me and telling stories, I hear his heart wanting us to all spend time together. Parents, family are a known eidos.

One morning, as we were lying in bed, and I was trying desperately to grab a few more minutes of sleep, Asher told me a story about a young boy. The young boy's mommy and daddy were swallowed (together) by a T-rex, and the young boy had to rescue his mommy and daddy before lava overcame the T-rex. The young boy succeeded (I write this and wonder if Asher feels like he needs to rescue us). This weekend, Asher told me he was sad when his daddy went home and that he wanted us to all be together to play Berenstein Bears - I would be Momma Bear, daddy Pappa Bear, him Brother Bear and Harper Sister Bear. Often, Asher's baby dinosaurs spend time with his mommy and daddy dinosaur. Asher had a little under two years when Michael and I were doing well together, so I am struck that with so little visual memory (certainly emotional), he understand mommy and daddy are in the same category but also that he wants us to spend time together.