Every once in a while I look through my past writing and dust off something from the vault. This piece was originally written in July, 2009, and as today is Earth Day, I thought it only fitting to post it here.
Ethan just came down from his “rest time†with The Lorax by Dr. Seuss in hand, asking me to read it to him. Before I started reading it I told him that the copy we were holding was very special to me as it was given to me when I was 24 by my sister. He hugged me and said he was excited to read it because it is my book.
So, Ethan had The Lorax read to him for the first time.
When we were all through, I closed the book and asked him what he thought of it. He said it was good. I asked him what the book was about. He told me it was about this guy, The Lorax. After some discussion about how the Once-ler’s chopping down of all the Truffala trees caused all these bad things to happen, I told Ethan that the book is a big message to all of us about treating the Earth well. This is not a foreign concept to Ethan, as we talk about recycling, and not littering, and conserving water, etc. all the time. He then said:
Mommy, I would like to put this book in MY room because it is your special book and it makes me think about doing nice things for the earth.
I then did a little internet sleuthing and found The Lorax Project. I explained what it was to Ethan, we took the pledge, and now he has a certificate from The Lorax Project.
My little tree-hugger. I’m so proud.
Just a beautiful memory!!