Grow a Giving Heart

Books have always been so important to me that I cannot imagine what life would have been without out them.  I must confess I am one of those individuals who just wants to know....anything and everything I can. For much of my life, books and periodicals and encyclopedias, have all helped me to feed that quest for knowledge.  My friends will tell you my mind is stuffed with all manner of bizarre trivia.....because I actually enjoyed reading encyclopedias and dictionaries as I was growing up! I know! Crazy right? And when I wasn't reading the articles in National Geographic, I was reveling in the amazing photography and dreaming of those faraway places.

I share all this because it wasn't until our school Book Fair that I came fully to the realization not all children have access to books the way I did.  And it saddens me. The little ones I work with may not have been exposed to books or reading until they began kindergarten....for some, there is barely money for groceries much less books.  The looks on their faces when they were able to pick out a book of their own are indescribable. Do you know most of them carry "their" book with them everyday? That is how precious reading, learning, growing have become to them.

For the past week I have been toying with a plan and I want to share it with you. When the school year ends at the end of May, I would like to send each of my ten tutoring students home with  a tote bag of books to have as their very own.....books of all kinds.....Little Golden books....picture books...story books.....anything that can be used as a doorway to imagining. Now I have no idea how I can accomplish this and am definitely open for suggestions but I believe it can be done.

The first thing I will do is pray....because if there is a way, God will help me find it! Then I'm going to count the change in my piggy bank....yes, I still have a pig shaped bank....and with that money I will shop the Ten Cent book sale at the Public Library....I'll go to yard sales....and I'll look for "gently handled" used books.

And I would ask, if you are a praying person, add your prayers to mine. Doing something for another without any expectations is a great way to grow a giving heart. I'll keep you posted!