Never in a million years did I imagine I would be writing a blog post or starting a blog, and yet here I am. Generally, I am an insanely private person and many of you who know me have heard me talk about how much I dislike social media. I tend to only want the people who know me to know me, if that makes sense. But, this has been a time where I suppose a lot of us are questioning things. Questioning the way we used to do things, what we hear on the news, the stability and quality of our political leadership, among other things. I, for one, question the status quo and know that I want things to be better for my kids. I want to be part of that change. I want to use my abilities to help families fuel positive change in our world through literacy. By literacy, I don’t mean simply learning how to read. I mean taking our experience of sharing stories and books to the next level and deepening our connections to the people who mean the most to us. Because we are all connected, whether we sense that connection or not. This is a basic truth about humanity that, when realized, will propel us to heal many of the problems we are facing as a society.
There were so many things I wanted to say in my first post. I struggled with all the things I wanted to share as I brainstormed topics. But then I thought, “Hey – this is a blog. What I don’t share today I can share tomorrow, or the next day.” Then, a few days ago I received this email from Bookshop.org, a wonderful organization that is helping independent bookstores survive this crazy retail climate. The subject read: “A letter from author Gabriel Byrne” and it caught my eye. I delete so many emails every day, but this one I had to read. I absolutely loved him in The Usual Suspects and I didn’t know he wrote a book. So based on those two things, the email “made the cut.” I’d like to share the entire letter with you, but it’s a bit long. So, I will share my favorite section:
“…Not only do I love reading itself, I love to watch people absorbed in the act of reading and I’ll often ask what they are reading. More often than not it begins a conversation about favorite writers and a great recommendation.
I was once told that the mind is a garden we must keep tended so that it flowers. If not, it turns to weeds. For me, one of the best ways of cultivating the garden is by reading. Books keep me connected to and curious about the world of today, yesterday, and tomorrow.”
Gabriel Byrne – Open letter via Bookshop.org email newsletter, January 17, 2021
I keep reading that last passage because it just resonates with all of my hopes for what I can accomplish by creating this blog and connecting to people in a way that is beyond my comfort zone. Being absorbed in the act of reading a book is a multi-sensory experience. One that cannot be achieved or matched by going down internet “rabbit holes.” I want our children to have that incredible feeling Gabriel Byrne describes when they read and when they watch others read. That feeling that comes from holding a book, cracking open the spine, and feeling the first page. Book lovers know what I am talking about. But you don’t have to be a book lover to appreciate the benefits that reading and sharing stories brings. Let’s work together to keep our kids “connected to and curious about the world of yesterday, today, and tomorrow” by making books and literacy a priority in our families. Thanks for reading my very first blog post, and I hope to “see” you often here at The Sweet Spot!