What I Do

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"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

-C.S. Lewis (Brainy Quotes) 

I've been writing about things that I see and observe on a daily basis, in both my reading and in the ordinary tasks of life. It all stemmed from the book that I listened to, What the Dog Saw, by Gladwell. The book was a collection of his stories for The New Yorker in which he discussed the not-so-ordinary background of people and things in our society. I don't think I have the fervent curiosity that Gladwell has, but I do observe things that I think are unusual, interesting, or simply out of my range of experiences. 

Today I turn to "What I Do." I have my own routines and interests, as everyone does, and I'm not very good at loafing around. I teach English as a Second Language part-time, and I love working with my students, all of whom are Hispanic this year. They are the cutest, funniest, and sweetest children that I've ever known, and my desire is to help them become better readers and writers so that they can become successful adults. I listen to them when they talk about what's important to them, and I encourage them to always do the right thing. I provide hugs when they are needed, and I call their parents when necessary. In short, I'm pretty passionate about helping these children.

I'm also the member of a church, and I am the mother of two adult children. I spend some of my time in church and also in continuing to be a parent. I tell my kids that I'm their dad and I are their "Number 1 Fans," and I encourage them to reach for their dreams. And, of course, I've always taught them to do the right thing. We are blessed to be the parents of our son and our daughter, a job which will never be "finished."  As long as there is breath in me, I will be available to our children.  I see this as my most important purpose, one of the things that motivates me and gives my life meaning. 

There are other things that I do in a typical week. I swim laps three times per week at an indoor public pool, and I enjoy it very much. It's wonderful exercise and easy on the joints. I also go for a 45 minute walk when possible. I read, run errands for my daughter who is getting married, and write my blog. And when time allows, I talk to a few of my great friends who live out of state. I'm blessed to have had some of my friends for 40 years! Who keeps up with old friends like that anymore?? One thing that I've learned is that the heart and soul of my friends has never changed over the years, and all of us have been through "rough patches" on the road of life, patches that make us more resilient and compassionate toward others.

So those are some of the things that I DO, but what about books? This week I'm listening to a book on CD, The Accidental Tourist. I've really enjoyed the story line, and I look forward to listening to it all week. Today I'm going to start reading a book that is a collection of the writings of C.S. Lewis, The Beloved Works of C.S. Lewis. This book includes his works Surprised by Joy, Reflections on the Psalms, The Four Loves, and The Business of Heaven. I'm looking forward to diving into this volume and I expect to find a lot of spiritual truths to be revealed. 

Have you read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah yet? I'm thinking about ordering this book because someone told me that it's one of those books that you just can't put down. If you've read this bestseller, what did you think? I think I'll ee if the library has it before I order it, but I'll probably be on a long waiting list to get it.

That's it for today...have a great week as you wait for spring to come in just five short days! And, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of my pals of Irish descent.

 -Melissa Hill

Book Blogger

www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com