The Gift

My great-niece Molly Beth wrote on Facebook about her boyfriend giving her books and she said how much she loves reading. It reminded me of the incredible gift we received from our parents...a love of reading. We passed this love of reading on to our girls and I know Barry (Molly Beth's grandfather) and all my siblings did the same.

Years ago I contemplated what a marvelous gift Mom and Dad gave us, what a blessing it has been and what a privilege it was to pass that gift on to our daughters Kathy and Twyla. As I thought about it years ago, the Lord gave me an idea for a poem, I entitled it "The Gift". Here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

The Gift
By Rick Blumenberg

I received it from my parents
a lifetime ago.
The family read together—
It was part of being home.

One reading, others listening,
Or each with a book alone....
In summer ’neath the shade tree
In winter by the stove.

We gave it to our children—
this gift of love received,
before they could know or understand
the words that we would read.

Dr. Zeus and Eggemeir,
The Train that Tried and the Little Red Hen—
We watched their bright eyes sparkle
When reading would begin.

And now our children's children
Are readers once again.
I don't know when it started.
I hope it never ends.

I'm Rick Blumenberg . . .and that's My View from Tanner Creek.