What Literacy Means To Me

  How I Experience Reading   When I read a book, my mind transforms into a blank movie reel that is waiting to be developed by the author.   It is very important that the author uses words with intention and purpose.   As I read the words, my mind creates the atmosphere that develops my setting for the story. These words also permit me to develop a makeshift appearance of what each character should look like.   Enough information has to be given to ignite my imagination with the ability to project these images.   If I cannot picture what the book is trying to say, I tend to lose interest in reading it.   As my mind becomes engaged in the story, I begin to pull from prior knowledge and give life to the scenes.   I’m able to envision sights and assign sounds as the author continues to outline the vision for the movie that has begun to play in my mind.   As I become more and more engaged in the book, the roles of an antagonist and a protag...

  How Do Readers Read?   How does your current book travel around with you?   What exact part of your backpack, pocket, purse, or whatever is involved?   I wish that I could say that my book traveled in a special place that would protect it or keep it in tact.   No such luck for me!   My current book travels with me via the passenger seat of my car.   During the daytime hours, a majority of my time is spent driving to meetings and appointments.   The evening hours are spent trying to either prepare a meal, attend afterschool functions, or assist my daughters with their homework assignments.   On other occasions, I’m tied up in other organizational meetings for the church and community.   There are hardly any downtime hours in my day so having it in the car allows me to have access whenever time permits.     The alternative to my car is the nightstand next to my bed.   One might think that this would be the ideal pl...

Today, I spent a few solemn moments thinking of my father.  This memory was triggered when a song that he loved to sing at church came on the radio.  As the music filled the car, a lump developed in my throat.  As I began to sing the song, tears began to fill my eyes as my voice faded and I began to hear his voice singing ever so clearly.  I was definitely a daddy’s girl!  It has been five years since he has passed and my emotions come and go in waves.  I was blessed to be able take care of him the last five years that he was here.  This was not always a pleasant time, with respect to our relationship, but it allowed me to understand him a little better.  I miss being able to talk to him and ask for advice, but more than that, I miss his unconditional love!  I wrote an acrostic poem to document my feelings of him. W - wise I -    insightful L -   loving L -   loyal I -    irreplaceab...