I can, YOU CAN!

For many years I have enjoyed the simplistic messages from children’s books.  This actually began when my husband and I were traveling and I would bring home, to our daughters, a book written by an author from the area or a “child’s” book about that city or something pertinent about living there or noteworthy or of interest.  One of their first books I brought home was Make Room for Ducklings ( McCloskey) because I had toured Boston and learned about the mallards in the lagoon in the Public Garden.  Challenges and expectations that are not always just right was addressed in Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Viorst,1972)

Reading was not one of my favorite things to do when I was a child – I was one who was outside from morning to dark, given the chance. I remember also taking a book to read when I went to the beach and found pleasure in lying on the sand and just reading something mindless and likely not inspiring or motivating.  Sometime in my early adult life and motherhood, I developed more interest in children’s books and reading more mature material and one of my favorites was The Little Engine that Could  (Piper, 1920).

Recently I stumbled upon a compilation of  words of wisdom from The Little Engine that Could, named YOU CAN! (Hart, 2018).   As entertaining as the story of The Little Engine is, this compilation touched and moved me as it shared some of “life’s lessons” I have attempted to commit to memory and practice.  It is a short read In a beautifully illustrated with short statements on 30 pages.  I have found it to offer some practical and reasonable words which offer inspiration, motivation, determination and how the difficulties or hard times in life should not cause anyone from concerted efforts to achieve successes. If you have young children, I want to encourage you to get The Little Engine that Could and read it to your children and let them read it to you.  For us “older” children, grab this little book, there is no better time; especially during this pandemic, to get a little boost, encouragement and wisdom in these unprecedented times.

On a Personal Note:  This story of the little engine is what I think of every time my 92-year old mother, with having had 9 back surgeries over the last 30 years, pushes her walker up the handicap ramp to get back into her home.  If she does not say it, I do – “I thing I can”!    