1) My son come homes from college this week
2) Christmas story and cookie baking night with the kids tonight
3) got the Christmas packages all mailed off
I decided to start a new tradition this year and give every family member a book for Christmas. The kids at first kind of rolled their eyes like, "Come on Mom..really?" But I was undaunted. Determined to pass on my love of reading to my children. Some of them have caught the vision but others not so much. As a former English major this has distressed me greatly. Books have been the source of so much joy for me. I want them to feel that too. Why do I care? Well to begin with the books they requested say a lot. One got a collection of princess stories. One a romance. Another an autobiography of an ultra marathon runner. One a Christmas story. One a collection of adventures. And so on. All so different but perfect for their tastes. There is something for everyone in a bookstore. The trick is to match the individual to the book that will come alive for them at that time.
Books can unlock so many doors. We can learn a new skill or be inspired by the story of someone who overcame hardship. Be swept away to another time and place. We can get a sense of history. Or escape to a fantasy world. Discover truths about our own natures as we identify with the characters on the pages. What a great way to learn from the foibles and successes of others without having to live them ourselves. We can revel in beautiful poetry. Travel to distant lands. Come to understand the thoughts and feelings of people who differ from us. Weep and rejoice. Find new dreams to dream. Books are magical. Books can teach us. Books can set us free and remind us that our ordinary lives are part of a bigger picture. There is so much out there to see and do and know. More than we can do within the normal limits of time and space...except for in books.
I may never speak face to face with a nobel peace prize winner or travel to Tibet. I will definitely never orbit the earth or slay a dragon. But in a book...I can.
Today I am grateful for the books that have touched my life. For the lessons I have learned and the fun I have had. I look forward to many more adventures ahead.
