My next-door-neighbor grandmother, Carrie Byrd to those who knew and appreciated her, was part of our town's early efforts to build a public library. For much of her adult life, she drove her Hudson Nash the two blocks down the street to the library and went through a "murder mystery" (her words) every day or so.
My other grandmother, Emmie, went back to college in her later years and became a teacher. She's the one who gifted me with the Classics. I credit her for summers spent reading anything other than Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, which I got on my own and devoured.
Come to think of it, every adult in our family read all the time. My mother went for the Best Sellers, the books everybody was talking about. Her copy of Peyton Place was hidden in a drawer that was plenty low enough for me to find. And read. In 7th grade.
So let's hear a cheer for moms, stepmoms, grandmoms, aunts and others who love to read to their little (and big!) ones.
And for all the other great things they've given us.
(Sticker via CafePress)
...and I am cheering for Grandmothers who taught their younglings to read.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day!
Sharon
P.S. Especially loved the words-"The quilt was filled with my life. Now it seemed like the patches of my life were mixing into a new pattern." Also-"Libraries are about books. Books have no color. And they don't care who reads them." Brava!
Nice post, Augusta. I come from a family of readers as well. It makes a world of difference to be raised with books.
ReplyDeleteIt was on my second or third look that I realized those "grandmothers" who brought you birth control/credit cards are US. Yay, us! This was terrific.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, everybody. Bottom line, reading and sharing books is crucial to a youngling's survival.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm loving that word, Sharon.
:)