How many of you have memories of the books written by Dr. Seuss?
While watching the Martha Stewart Show today honoring the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss, childhood memories started flooding back. At an early age I was hospitalized because of tonsillitis and had my tonsils removed. I was probably about 7 years old. My family gave me a gift while I was in the hospital, "Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss. I read the book over and over, pretty much memorizing it, and brought it home with me from the hospital, treasuring it as a souvenir. I hadn't thought of that precious gift for decades and was thankful for the memory sparked by the celebration of Dr. Seuss' 108 birthday today.
I can hear my own late mother's voice, her English accent that everyone loved, reading to my brother Dane and I as children.
Reading books to my younger siblings, Emma, Micah and Sarah when I was a pre-teen and teenager are some of my favorites memories. My brothers Guy and Clay were also younger than me, but when I visited them, we mostly played at the beach in Manhattan Beach California.
Then memories of the many sweet hours of reading Dr. Seuss books and hundreds of other books to my five children, Abraham, Joseph, Tamara, Stephen and Joseph percolated up for me to enjoy.
Now I have the joy of reading to my grandchildren! Ruby loves me to read to her, I get to go to her house and read and sometimes she comes to my house. Ruby can memorize parts of her books, even though she isn't even two years old yet.
A few months ago I got to read to Anaza while I shared her bedroom during my visit to Hawaii. We would lay on the blow-up bed and read together until she got sleepy and fell asleep, then I would pick her up and put her in her little bed. Rayco likes to read about trains, I always think of him whenever I see or hear a train. He also likes airplanes and liked to show me his airplane collection that his Uncle Dane gave him.
My other grandchildren, Rio and Hayden come to my house, but we mostly play outside with the chickens and do farm chores, which are fun when they help. Hayden told me about his teacher reading his class a book about Lewis and Clark and how the dog Seaman also talked and had thoughts in this book. I shared what I was learning from the Lewis and Clark book I am reading right now that was a gift from Abe.
My oldest grandchild, Randal is in college, he's probably a better reader than I.
Dr. Seuss, never had children of his own, but entertained millions of children by his witty humor and creative characters that live on in our hearts.
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