Pass it on!
a2z: The letter “P”
When I was a teenager I so hoped I wouldn’t be like my mother. Anyone else have that thought? Maybe it was your father you didn’t want to be like?
Now I realize how valuable my mom is, and what she has passed on to me is mostly good.
Not so good? I find that I have a need to be right about everything, and my medical history seems to be a copying hers.
I look at the keyboard while I’m typing, and I see her hands. I’ve heard her words coming out of my mouth and I think, “I am my mother!”
She’s passed on some great things to me. The love of Jesus, strength when life is really hard–unbearable even. I’ve watched her stand strong when many would have fallen. I’m not quite there yet but I can see some of her strength in me.
I learned how to compete and be a good loser by playing hands of canasta and a marble game called agrevation. Mom also passed on the love of words to me. She taught me to read by the age of 4 using Rebus readers. But then she modeled reading. Mom showed me the joy in the adventure and escape from everyday life by opening a book and turning the pages. She also read me books that made me cry, like The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. I discovered it was okay to be sad and to grieve–even the fictional characters.
I discovered this gem of a photo of mom reading. Look at all those books on the shelf! Not only did the love of reading come from my mom but my grandparents.
My advise? Pass on the love of reading to the little ones in your life. Or volunteer to help others learn to read. You’ll be giving them the world.
What a wonderful gift to have a mother! I was raised by a step-mom so don’t know what, if any, of my traits are my birth mom’s. I do know I’m a lot like my Dad, though. 🙂 I, too, was raised to love books. And now, like my Dad, my favorite chair is piled with them. Dad and I both have what my mother calls “nests.” Made of books!
Kara, how wonderful to have a stepmom. I’m partial to those since I am one. 🙂 I wonder if you imitated some of her behaviors? Love the ‘nests’ of books!
Blessings,
Diana
I love this post SOOOOO much. Thank you for sharing about your mom. 🙂
Awe, Linda, thank you.
Blessings,
Diana
I was thrilled when two of my three kids fell in love with reading. My oldest daughter even got a degree in English Lit! What a legacy we leave to our kids when we teach them the love of reading. Love your post…and the pic. It’s such a treasure.
Shelley, the pic really is a treasure for me. My mom hates having her photo taken and this is a rare one that survived.
Blessings,
Diana
I was so happy this summer when my son packed some books to take with him for his “Semester in Spain.” He was very limited on how much he could pack and it warmed my heart.
My three year old granddaughter loves to have books read to her, and she enjoys “reading” books to herself and her baby sister.
Jackie,
That’s got to warm your heart to know you’ve brought up readers and they have passsed it on.
Blessings,
Diana
What a wonderful, special photo of your mom! Thanks for sharing!
Tom,
Thanks!
Diana
I don’t remember my mother ever reading while I was young. Probably too busy raising 3 girls.
Only one of my two sons likes to read. Maybe I’ll have better luck “passing” the love of reading on to my grandkids?
Dora, what a great opportunity, grandbabies on your knees reading a book. A memory they will cherish.
Blessings,
Diana
What a wonderful heritage. My mom taught me to read at a young age too, but it was my father who mostly modeled reading. There are still moments when he goes missing and you find him in his favorite chair lost in a good book. I love that my kids have witnessed that!
Carrie,
I’ve noticed that all of my boys/men read too. I’m so glad they picked it up. I remember my dad read too, but it’s kind of a faded memory.
Blessings,
Diana