Treasures: A Theme Thursday Post

My treasures as a child included books sent to me by the various Aunts in my mother's family. These included E.B. White's Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, Anne of Green Gables and Lamb's Shakespeare For Children. My maternal grandmother contributed to my reading horizons by keeping and permitting me to read original editions of Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins which I believe had belonged to my mother.

A Tale of Two Cities, Johnny Tremain and Jack London's Call of the Wild were likewise devoured as was Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. I also enjoyed Madeleine L'Engle's series and by high school, had cracked open Jane Austen for the first time, along with Walden Pond, Silas Marner, and Shakespeare. Chekov plays were next and then, oddly, I began to read history, biography and eventually found my way into economics and the books of American academic Robert Reich. A friend introduced me to Camus and Zola, which I read in translation. During my undergraduate days I took several Spanish lit classes, sampling the literature from Spain through the Americas and Caribbean.

Today, sadly, my cache of books is small as I no longer buy but borrow from libraries and friends. Other treasures include my cats and a collection of art depicting parts of my childhood home in Panama, a small jewel of a country most often only known for its canal.

Reading widely and often is a habit first cultivated by my mother and grandmother. It has been a gift and treasure beyond measure. While possessions pass through my life, pets lives end and homes alter, I have been able to share books and all that can enliven the imagination or spark ideas or discussion.

What treasures remain important to you?

Until Next Time...