| Sono Harris, Joyful Mother of Children | | | | she felt she needed to present a correction |
| For twenty-one years Basic Skills presented the | | | | (attitude, point of view, etc.), she did so in a way |
| Winter Home Schooling Workshop. Sono Harris | | | | that her listeners did not feel scolded or |
| was among the many speakers who made | | | | reprimanded. |
| regular presentations. Sadly for us, on July 4, | | | | As I mentioned before, in her later presentations |
| Sono passed away after battling cancer. | | | | her topics and focus changed. Near the end our |
| My wife Jenny and I met Gregg and Sono in the | | | | twenty-one years of home school conferences, |
| early 80's when the home school movement was | | | | she spoke more about the difficult issues of life |
| just beginning. While Sono was in the habit of | | | | that she and other mothers had in common. |
| saying "no" to a number of invitations to speak at | | | | Mothers felt she identified with their struggles. |
| various functions and events, she always said | | | | I remember one talk she gave which was titled, |
| "yes" to our conference. | | | | "An Anchor for the Soul" in which she introduced |
| Many mothers came simply to hear her. While the | | | | her presentation by speaking about the desire |
| men had something worth listening too, they | | | | most wives and mothers have for stability. She |
| were, after all, still men and did not (or could not) | | | | then spent the rest of her session talking about |
| relate or address the topics these mothers | | | | change and in particular suffering. She said |
| needed to hear, to where they were living. While | | | | "motherhood is about change in a progressively |
| all of our speakers were respected, appreciated, | | | | painful direction." She was talking about the |
| and their expertise recognized and helpful, Sono | | | | separation we experience with our children as we |
| was all of the above but more importantly, loved. | | | | move through the stages of life." All of us go |
| In the early 90's she addressed basic, practical | | | | through this. |
| topics. But as the home school movement grew, | | | | At the end of this particular session, she posed |
| her children as well everyone else's grew up with | | | | the following questions, "What am I to do with |
| it and her focused changed. | | | | this, how am I to manage this? How am I to |
| Mothers came not so much to hear her teach | | | | handle this suffering, loss, and pain." She talked |
| how to do something, but how to live. Sono filled | | | | about "increasing the sacrifices we make (as |
| with them with hope, and that's what they | | | | mothers) while reducing the expectation of |
| needed. Many were ready to quit and were tired. | | | | immediate returns." She said, "It's about spending |
| But just being around her helped them stay the | | | | all that you have, and letting go. When we |
| course. She was gracious, and she lifted spirits. | | | | embrace God's will, everything changes." |
| She shared insights that could only be truly | | | | In referring to the kingdom parable described in |
| understood as spoken by one mother and wife to | | | | Matthew 13:44, she said the key word was |
| other mothers and wives. They listened to her | | | | "bought." We must buy the field. Often we think |
| because she was completely invested in | | | | the field God wants us to buy will be attractive |
| whatever she was involved in. | | | | and pleasurable, but it's often bleak, with trouble, |
| I think of Sono when I read the kingdom parable | | | | pain, suffering, and loss. But there is treasure in |
| described in Matthew 13:44. "The kingdom of | | | | that field. The loss and suffering we experience |
| heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a | | | | drives us to the only dependable anchor for our |
| man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy, | | | | souls, Jesus Christ. That is where our suffering |
| went and sold all he had and bought the field." She | | | | finds its greatest meaning. |
| was like that merchant. She held nothing back | | | | For Sono, Jesus was that priceless treasure, and |
| when it came to her Lord, family, and again, to | | | | now she is enjoying his presence in person. Sono |
| whatever she committed to. She was, as one of | | | | Harris was and is a joyful mother of children. |
| the titles of a talk she gave, a "Joyful Mother of | | | | If you'd like to make a donation to help the Harris |
| Children." She invested deeply and completely. | | | | family during this difficult time, an account has |
| Because of this, her life experiences were rich. | | | | been set up at West Coast Bank. Donations can |
| She had a way of pulling back the curtain of her | | | | be made at any branch in Oregon and |
| life just enough and then inviting the mothers in | | | | Washington. The account number is 1141007201 |
| her seminars to get a glimpse. She related in such | | | | under Sono Sato Harris. |
| a way to those she spoke to that at times it | | | | To read more about the life of this remarkable |
| was like having a personal conversation with her. | | | | wife and mother, go to |
| She had the ability to distill ideas into something | | | | Thank you for reading. |
| her listeners could easily take in and remember. If | | | | |