PASSING IT ON...

When I was a young boy, my mom used to read to me a lot, and one of the books she used to read to me was called, "The Story of Ferdinand".  While browsing in Borders a few weeks back I spotted the word "Ferdinand" on a book sitting on the floor leaning against a table.  My heart leaped as I recognized the very book mom used to read, except that this one was huge!

I couldn't resist buying the book and thinking of all the fun I'd have reading to my granddaughters Lily and Kinsley.  Proudly I presented the book to the sales lady, and didn't even blink when she did a double take!  "It ain't fer me," I thought behind my smile!

The book made such an impression on me back then that the first time I ever heard Herb Albert's "The Lonely Bull" I choked up.  All I could see was poor lonely Ferdinand sitting there in the field all by himself.

It was a couple of weeks before I got to try it out on Lily, this past Monday,... but sadly, she didn't seem too impressed.  As a matter of fact, it was the end of the day before she would even sit still long enough for me to begin reading.  Finally, she sat listening, but frankly, I think she was more interested in posing for the camera Judy was holding than to the words I was reading.

However, I realize, while the book is basically simple in text, there is a deeper meaning that will take time to awaken in her mind, as I'm sure it did in mine.

Ferdinand is a bull fully focused on being himself, and is even encouraged by his "cow" mom to be just that - himself.  There in lies the moral to the story and one that my mom impressed on me way back then.  Just be yourself...you have only yourself to blame for whatever you do or do not become...just make sure you are happy with that chosen direction!

My direction will be to try and read the story to them every chance I get and hopefully the point will eventually sink way inside!

Kinsley, you're next!

Maybe it will be a book, and a moral, they too will want to pass on one day.