lessons – Peaceful Reader

March is known for several holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Lent, Spring Break in some places but I appreciate March for Women’s History. Collective Wisdom; Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from women over 50 by Grace Bonney. My friend Verda gifted this to me on my birthday last year and I’ve still not made it through the whole collection. What I love most is to browse through and read the quotes from all the profiles.

Like Betty Reid Soskin, 100-year-old from California and the oldest National Park Ranger in the U.S. who says:

“I have been many women. They come and they go, and some of them I would have loved to have stayed with me longer, but the fact that I have been all those things has made life, for me, very rich.”

and JoAni Johnson, a 69-year-old model from New York, NY who says: “When you’ve been around the sun so many times and have a variety of experiences and you’re able to stay standing – that’s resilience.”

or Julia Alvarez, a 71-year-old Dominican American poet and author: “I feel that I’m a bead in the necklace of the generations.”

or Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, a 63-year-old Iranian journalist who shares this:

“One of the most amazing things in our lives, regardless of how we describe our sexuality or gender identity, is the power of motherhood. And by that, I mean the power of nurturing: nurturing other humans, I think everyone has the ability to do this in some form, and it can be so empowering. To care for others and use our strengh to lift up others.”

I am inspired every time I open up the pages of this book and find something new to read. I connect with the women, their journeys, and message. We know and herald our famous women but many of these profiles are about women making a difference in their families and communities. I am someone who is always open to ideas and am in constant motion to learn more. Whether you have this book or not, find an inspiring story to read about Seneca Falls, or any part of women’s history to help us bridge the gap of what we are dealing with today. We need more brave souls like Lucy Stone.

I’m reading The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart to 4th grade students in the library. This is an amazing story about a young person with cancer and his quest to hike a mountain on his last days. The book is beautifully written and the author intersperses bits of haiku poetry throughout the story. Mark and his best friend Jesse have a shared love of the poetry form and communicate notes of haiku back and forth. As I was reading I thought what a great gift for students to hear or read poetry within the book. Kids do love poetry. I did a whole poetry experience last April and they really enjoyed it. It can be light-hearted or serious and is an easy way for students to experiment with word play.

My stepmother sends poems in her birthday cards. Most often it is Mary Oliver but not always. I appreciate very much how her poetry is focused on the natural world because I can imagine myself taking a long walk with the author. I don’t have any Mary Oliver books but I can turn to the pages sent to me and read and reread when I want. Diane, my stepmother, adds these poetry pieces in as a gift to the receiver and what she picks always makes me feel emotional just as Dan Gemeinhart’s book does by weaving haiku into his story about Mark.

Here is Wild Geese, one of my favorites I found on YouTube:

And here is another favorite When I’m Among the Trees:

Share some poetry with a friend, reading it can be a form of meditation and we all need more calm at this time of year.

Tag: lessons

Collective Wisdom

Poetry of all kinds