“We’ll eat you up, we love you so.”
So say the Wild Things in Where the Wild Things Are when Max is leaving the land of rumpuses and heading back home. Upon hearing the news that Maurice Sendak died, my first thought was about how I’d be reading this story to my daughter once she’s old enough. How important it is for both Matt and I to pass on the things we loved as children to our little girl. And I was filled with a sense of sadness at life and the ends of things and how happiness is only fleeting.
Yes, I waxed philosophical. I can’t help it. Everything makes me think about my soon-to-be-new role as a mom. And it terrifies me and excites me and makes me want to be better in every possible way. I wonder will I be good enough? Will she hate me? WIll she think back on her childhood when she’s an adult and think, “Hey, my parents did they best they could”?
I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I know one thing for certain. I’ll be reading Where the Wild Things Are, and A Wrinkle in Time, and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. Matt will read her The Hobbit, and The Stinky Cheese Man, and The Velveteen Rabbit. And our daughter will know and love books and stories and the imaginary worlds where the impossible, for just one moment, seems possible.
We’ll do that part right. I know it.
Man, I’m choked up a little bit here, and I don’t even have kids! Some great titles there, mos def. I read The Hobbit with my students every fall, and I never get tired of it.
Thanks, Milo 🙂 Yes, I love The Hobbit and I know that’s one Matt wants to read to her like his dad did with him.
Wow that was a fantastic post Bren. I’m with Milo on his opening comment.
I really can’t wait to share everything thats made me happy over my lifetime with our little girl. I just hope she shares the same enthusiasm. =)
I can’t wait too 🙂