Many people want to change the world. But, few do.
That’s probably a good thing.
Parents, whether they intend to or not, impact their children in all sorts of ways, and in ways they could never foresee or expect.
I know a mother that starting reading to her daughter before she was a year old. Most of the time her baby didn’t sit still or want to listen.
When her daughter turned four, she tried to teach her to read. But, her little girl showed no interest in books.
When her daughter turned seven, she enrolled her in the local library’s reading program. Her daughter completed the reading program, but complained about missing out on time with friends.
When her daughter turned twelve, the mother suggested that they read the classics aloud to each other in the evenings. Her daughter agreed to do so, but struggled to stay awake.
When her daughter turned seventeen, she left home for university. She read what she wanted, which wasn’t much beyond the list her professors required of her.
When her daughter turned twenty-two, she wrote her first book. By age thirty, her daughter has authored five books. And by age forty, she had authored seven books.
Those seven books have been read by school-aged children in thirty countries around the world.
I’m thankful that my mom didn’t think of changing the world. I’m grateful for her consistent effort to encourage my brothers and I to read, and to read well.
Word by word she changed our worlds. And changing a child’s world is never a small thing.
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