The sun sets on another day…
I chased the sunset across the western sky and enjoyed every moment as the reds and oranges became purples and dark blues. It was a beautiful evening.
Today I was at the Lansing Women’s Expo selling books and having fun. I am always amazed by the people that go to the Expo because they are usually very focused and sure of what they want or enjoying a lot of wine and mixed drinks from the bar and having a great time.
Many of the people that go to the Expo are readers and usually there are a number of books that sell and some that do quite well. This was no different as it became clear very early that lots of fun people were reading books.
What became amazing was when a woman came up with her two children and they were so engaged in wanting to read that there was nothing else of importance. Normally children and adults are wandering around with their cell phones and distracted only for a moment by the amazing number of authors and other things at the Expo. These three were focused on storyline and reading and the passion of imagination. The short attention span from scanning whatever social media was unimportant and instead they were focused on story and the amazement in between.
As they walked away I wondered what the world would be like if everyone taught their children like this mother had. I wondered what it would be like for imagination to be more important than the fascination of being sidetracked for just a moment. It was a good thought.
I will be the first to admit I am not a perfect father but I tried hard and spent my time trying to ensure that my children were prepared for the world. I gave them freedom but tried to guide them to places that I knew would work. They have all grown up to be successful in their own ways. All I can ask, perhaps all I can implore, is that long-term all of us focus on the imaginations of our children and the passions they possess. It is those Passions that will build a bigger and better world.
So as the sun sets on another day, I bow my head in reverence to all of the families and mothers and fathers that guide imagination and are working to make the world a better place. It is with that in mind that I can only say thank you to the mother and her two children that visited me today and started down a journey with my books that will make them laugh and smile. Keep being you and growing, no matter what.
Sleep sweet, love life, and the imagination is still there..