The Genesis

Every one of us has a beginning, an origin story. When I think about why I write, and the reasons I am writing this initial blog post, I travel back in time, following legacy handed down to me from generations before.  My mother’s grandmother, Kathleen Roslyn Sullivan, was a writer. I remember the day I discovered my great grandmother’s book of poems. I sat on the plush brown carpet of my Gram’s office floor. Every surface in her office was piled high with books. The Bible, novels, poetry and many other types of books filled and overflowed her bookshelf, on tables, the floor and the closet. I opened the closet and discovered a memory box of sorts, where she had items from decades past. There were pictures of the family growing up, fancy parties she went to with my grandfather, and her dates during her college years, which sometimes involved a plane ride. I picked through layers of photos, discovering old letters from her cousin during the war, and other story-laden treasures. I picked up a small 5.5 x 8 three ring notebook that had no cover, yellowed pages with rounded corners, and typewriter set lettering. I began reading, and asking Gram questions about my great grandmother, learning the most from her poetry.  I was intrigued by the idea that Kathleen Sullivan, a single, divorced mother and house maid during the 1920’s and 1930’s knew that her words and story were important enough to write down and type into a book. She wrote poems of faith, love and loss she experienced. My eyes were opened that day to consider that my own scribbling in journals and playing with writing poetry was somehow passed down from my great grandmother without even knowing. I was connected to Kathleen Sullivan, a woman I had never met through a snowballing motion she set rolling.  Kathleen greatly influenced my Gram’s love of reading and books, who then passed that on to my mother, who passed it on to me. My mother has and will always have piles of books by, on and in her nightstand. I’ve never been sure just how many she’s started, stopped or is concurrently reading, but she loves to read. My mother spent countless hours reading with me as a young child, my most favorite being “The Velveteen Rabbit.” As I glance over at my own bedside pile of books, I realize that the genesis of my love of reading and writing was initiated from the three generations of women who cultivated the love of the printed word, a legacy passed down as an inheritance to the next generation.

Kid Mom Book Club continues the tradition of parents reading to their children. Just like Kathleen Sullivan read to my Gram, who read to my mother, who read to me, I invite you to join me in reading book pairings. The book pairings will include one book for the parent to read, and one book for the child to read. The two books will be connected in theme or content, and provide opportunities for parents to connect with their kids through the love of reading. Please look for the monthly book club challenge, which will announce the book pairing for the upcoming month. Click here to learn how to join me in creating family memories with your child with the love of reading.