How can we Learn Forward from the pages of a book?

Allow me a story from my week…

Creating meaningful relationships where you “belong” often includes some aspect of physical connection.  Even my big kids still cuddle up for back rubs or lean in for hugs and kisses and my cozy cuddles with the “baby” keep me young and remembering what is most important.  Also, because she is still small, often…I hold her hand.

One day a few weeks ago I told her that holding her hand was the best part of my day!  She started to like holding hands more.  While her free spirit calls her out of my orb, she is willing to hold hands in parking lots and moments of intimacy.

But, this week, we had to go to the mall.  We didn’t just have to go to the mall for a minute or two.  The three girls had a mall trip planned for a week that included many errands and had an agenda rivaling the GOP’s.  We were going power shopping.

Well, I don’t think G has power shopped with us much and it was struggle.  I was committed to teaching her how to be respectful and how to stay with us.  We danced with her free spirit trying to corral it into our flow.  However by 5pm, we were melting down and I decided we needed to break for it.  Well, you can imagine, it was the walk of shame.  I don’t know if you know it…that one through the mall…with kicking and screaming.  It was all the way through the mall and all the way to furthest end of the parking lot…her hand in mine.

What is remarkable is the notion of holding hands…connecting…being with our Truth!  We held hands in the throes of her big emotions.  We held hands for safety.  We held hands to move us through the worst of it.  We held hands.  Hours later, as we faced each other with earnest eyes locked in love for her apology, her hands were in mine.

Holding hands creates a sense of worthiness.

I laid awake thinking about our trip and why our meltdown happened.  I needed to unlock not only the reasons it happened, but how to work with G to support her to create successful experiences and manage her big emotions when things don’t go her way.  I thought about what is changing in her life.  I reflected on our Truth with tough questions.

The next morning was a new day.  She put her hand in mine once again.  Later, the three of us went back to the mall and it was a glorious experience.

The real irony is that at the very beginning of this week, this book found its way into the forefront of our collection:

Over the course of the week, it became our bedtime story many times.  The theme is about holding hands throughout the seasons: belonging.

My arms around my little ones with a book in my hands creates security.

Such a simple practice for such a complex world.  Such a simple practice of belonging.  Such a simple practice of focusing on what matters most.

Literature lights up the imaginations in our home!  We are called to something higher and more expansive as we open the pages of a book.  Our hearts can hear the whispers of the universe as we connect with characters and narratives different from ourselves!

Part of our mall trip was a visit to the bookstore.  Libraries are on the summer list of places to go.  Used book stores are magical portals into our universe and the universe beyond.  I downloaded new material to my Kindle this week.  In fact, I collect books and set up libraries for vulnerable children in far off places!  If you want to know more about our literacy project, check out our Niteo Africa website.

However…the most important part of reading this week was remembering, “We hold hands.”

Summer holds new freedom.  How are we immersing ourselves in the pages of a book?

For the sake of the children,

Karine