Amy M. Schaefer
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From the Front Porch

I am an "accidental blogger". When I launched my writing career in March of 2014, one of the things that I decided to include was my journaling, which I have always found to be a comforting and therapeutic endeavor.  It was a big risk to open myself up in such a public forum, but it has taught me that, for the most part, we share far more experiences than we think. It's comforting to know I'm not alone!  (*the "Button Text" is the link to my first novel)
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Lucky Duckie

3/1/2016

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Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss, image from www.best-childrens-books.com
This week is Literacy Week and tomorrow school children around the world will do things to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday for "Read Across America" (yes, they do activities in places other than America). It is, hands down, my absolute favorite week of the school year, as the most important lessons I learned about life so far have come from Dr. Seuss books. Also, I am a voracious reader! Today I read "Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?" by Dr. Seuss to my students. When I got to the end of the book, I asked the children, "So, there were a lot of rhyming words and silly things happening in this book, but what was the real message, the most important thing Dr. Seuss was trying to tell you?" Below are some of my favorite answers.

Answers:
"That the world is a funny place." ~S.
"He was trying to say bad things happen in life. Be glad they aren't happening to you." ~N.
"He wants you to know how lucky you are that you aren't any of the people from the book." ~M.
"He's trying to say life could be a lot more worst. Be grateful." ~L.
"He wants us to look for the good in everything." ~C.

I don't believe in luck. I believe we make our own "luck" through focus, intent, hard work, and dogged determination. Do I think the world is a funny place? *snorts* More than I have enough words to express. I also know that bad things inevitably happen, but they pass and almost always there is "good" up ahead. The answer that really hit my own internal home run meter, though, was the last one. Bad is going to come. Some jobs you have are going to suck. Some things in life are just not fair. Sometimes we get left behind, forgotten. None of us are immune from any of those things, but all of us are capable of seeing the good, even when a cloud of ick is hanging overhead. I may not believe in being a "lucky" duckie, but I'm certainly a grateful one!

Note: If you have a chance tomorrow, take time to Drop-Everything-And-Read, even if it's just five minutes!
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    About The Author

    I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter.

    Since then, I have learned to reach well beyond what I ever dared to think was possible. I've learned not to allow fear to stop me from whatever future I want to create!

    What keeps me grounded? My Tribe! What provides the wind beneath my wings? A well of reserves filled with unstoppable passion!

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  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery