Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading. It was started by NEA (National Education Association) on March 2, 1998 in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.
This week I was invited by Page Turners to attend “Read with Malcolm” (Malcolm Mitchell NE Patriots wide receiver) at F.L. Stanton Elementary School. I must tell you this program was fun and encouraging for our young people. It stressed the importance of reading and the necessity of overcoming any barriers that hold you back from achieving your goals.
Malcolm told an awesome story from his childhood that even touched me. He had a hard day at school and was complaining to his mom. She took him into the kitchen and pulled out three pots and filled them with water, placed them on the stove and turned on the fire under each. In one she placed a carrot, the next and egg and the last coffee beans. As the water began to boil the contents of each pot changed and she asked him to tell her what he saw. Like most of us we see the carrot got softer, the egg got harder and the coffee beans turned to coffee. The moral was “Don’t let your circumstances change you…. Be special and change your circumstances”. I am encouraging all my young readers and followers to be Special like Coffee Beans…. Don’t let your circumstances change you Change your circumstances and SUCCEED!!
