I've had so much fun writing this blog for 3 years now. It's allowed me to not only unleash my creative side, but to share my knowledge for the benefit of others, and become an advocate for causes that mean a lot to me.
Being an avid reader, and a parent who has witnessed the power of literacy in my own home and in local schools and libraries, I will always be passing along books to people. There are so many formats to read in these days, but I prefer good old books-in-print.
I really have no desire to buy an eReader at this point (although my husband has one, and is reading more than he ever has before). Someday, it saddens me that I may have no other choice but to read that way. But I'll survive.
I just worry about the children. Picture books are just not the same on a battery operated device. I don't care what anyone says. They're like the natural world, free of chemicals.
As someone who developed a deep respect for the nature of people and the planet at a very young age, I see many parallels between the simple act of reading and just being out in nature. A perfect day for me would be sitting under a tree or in a beach chair reading a book, while keeping an ear out for the sounds nature surrounds us with.
The simple acts of listening and reading go hand in hand. Whether I hear and feel a gentle breeze of air or words, the experience brings me peace in an often chaotic world. Books and nature are my two biggest stress relievers, and my passion for them is what I consider to be the greatest gift that I can ever pass on to my children.
They have also been my gift to you.
Being an avid reader and a nature lover is not always stress-free, though. You find out things that you really wish you didn't know.
But you can't unlearn them.
Or expect other people to understand them, because they haven't read what you've read, or experienced the things you have. They can't connect the dots the way you have.
You have to accept these things and adjust your life accordingly.
And that's what I'm doing now.
More information to follow.
Happy Spring! May you plant many seeds this year.
