The Gift of Giving

Back in high school, there was one teacher who stood out then and stands out all these years later in my memory. Mrs. L. taught Child Development. I was working full time and needed an easy class. I thought this might be it. What I found was a class that totally engaged me. A class I willingly gave a hundred percent to. I learned then how much I loved reading to the preschoolers who were part of the program. When I had my own kids, I read to them and I was the Kindergarten Story Lady for years after they moved beyond kindergarten. (I used that experience when I wrote Carry Her Heart.) That was all thanks to Mrs. L.

I learned a compassionate, empathetic way of steering kids in the right direction. I emphasized the same thing when I spent well over a decade volunteering with Erie’s Teen Parenting program.

I learned the idea of giving back. Not only did Mrs. L. teach, she was our class advisor. She and her husband spent countless hours with our class. I can still see both of them in the garage across the street from the school as we built an annual float for homecoming. It was really over and above the role of class advisor. She never hesitated. She embodied the idea of giving without any thought of return. And that final gift is something I hope to impart to the Minions. Every year we sponsor an animal for the local rescue, Tamarack Wildlife Center, as part of each of their Christmas gift. Yep, the Minion’s gift is the gift of learning to give. And I hope it is a gift that follows them through life as much as Mrs. L’s gift of giving and caring has stayed with me all these years.

I’ll confess, of all the classes and teachers I had, Mrs. L. is one who stands out. She truly radiated caring and a belief in all of us. I hope that as the Minions grow up, they carry the lessons I learned from her with them.

Holly

Check out some of my books!

Deck the Halls

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1-6 are available now! Book 7 & 8 are available for preorder and the final book will be out this fall!

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Hometown Hearts