One of my favorite parts of spending time at my friend’s library is to hear her read stories to the kids. Today while I was substituting for her assistant, she read “Monster Mamma” to the first and second graders complete with voices and lots of color in the telling. I took my work out in easy hearing distance and listened as raptly as the kids. I loved the story, how powerful the boy in the story, Patrick Edward, felt and acted even when bullied. I loved how Monster Mama acted with the bullies and how things were all turned around to good in the end. It gave me a great picture of not letting my sense of self or the power inside be shaken even in the face of people trying to push me around. He was so confident, even fought back. I appreciated that. (And I LOVED her voice for Monster Mama!) At one point, the boy says, “Strength is for the wise, not the reckless [and foolish as Adria added].” Strength is something that comes from inside, it’s not power to be abused or being able to throw my weight around, it’s the strength to stand in the wind knowing who is holding me up. “It’s the refusal to fall and the power to look beyond it all.” as a song on my itunes says. Strength shines from our hearts, hearts that know what real power is.
How to wield power was a great reminder to hear today, any day actually, but in the form of a story like that, with Adria reading it with all her wonderful voices, well, it was very sweet time and left me absolutely delighted.
365-09 #316