What does a 37-degree day and writing a blog have to do with one another? Nothing if you don’t live in Chicago and if you are not a runner. To me, a calm, sunny 37-degree day in Chicago, means I can’t wait to find my shoes and run outside. All dressed and ready to go, the only thing bothering me was that I still hadn’t figured out what to call my blog. I knew that the blog had to be the intersection of writing and English and Spanish. People often talk about the runner “high” as if it is some magical thing that happens once you hit mile 1 or mile 2 but for me, clarity of mind is what I get from my runs. I seem to shake out the cobwebs. I guess perhaps that could be interpreted as a “high”. I have always been fascinated by the meaning of the word scribe in English and how closely it relates to the word escribir in Spanish. So as I ran I began to toss around the words scribe and write. Much to my surprise, when got back from my run and read more into the etymology of the word scribe I was sure I found the name of my blog. Thirty-seven degrees to some people may be a cold chilly day in Chicago but to me, it was an opportunity to do what I love and to land on a blog name that connects so many of my interests and passions. I guess the “high” did happen during my run even if I didn’t realize it was happening.
One of the quotes that I often think about is Emily Buchwald’s “ Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Teaching reading is very difficult and reading to a child that has never been read to makes the job seem impossible. Today it made me think about what made me a reader. As a child, my mother, who taught reading for years, read to my brothers and I every Box Car Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I do not remember the stories exactly but I remember loving the stories and cherishing our special time together. Later in life, my father and I did a book study for religious education on the book Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Harnard. Again, I do not remember much about the book but I remember the time we spent together and the close bond that I felt. Today I decided to look at a review of Harnard’s book. The review states that over 2 million copies were sold. “It is a timeless story of God’s children yearning to new heights of love
Nothing like a run for inspiration, and I'm loving your blog name, LeeAnne! I can't wait to get back to running, but I'm still waiting for a bit warmer weather!
ReplyDelete