It's a Big, Big World

As I stood in front of the computer in the library looking up books on gardening (I'm getting serious about it this year), I could hear someone in one of the cubicles behind me reading aloud. The reading was slow, and deliberate, not unlike any of the kindergarten or first grade children at my school. However, the voice was much deeper, very unlike the voice of a kindergarten or first grade child. I continued to look up things on the computer, but my concentration was interrupted occasionally by the reading behind me. "P-p-p-a-d-d-d-i-n-n-g, p-p-a-d-ing, padding," I heard the voice sound out slowly. "Yes, that's right, padding. Like the padding that is under carpet, like an extra layer," I heard a woman confirm. I extended my time at the computer out of curiosity. Throughout the four or so minutes that I spent there, I heard the familiar coaching phrases that I learned in my teaching program. "Well, it does look like it would sound like that, doesn't it? But actually, it sounds like this." Or, "Yes, when we see the word bone, the o sounds like itself. Remember the silent e rule?" She then went on to explain that bony is a variation of that word.

I realized it was time for me to look for my books, so as I turned around I stole a glance at the pair at the table. The tutor was a middle-aged woman who looked like she could be a retired teacher. The man was a 30? 40? year-old man who towered over the woman. Even though they were sitting at a table, this man was taller by a good foot or so. The expression on his face was one of eagerness and concentration. He was there because he wanted to learn, wanted to unlock this mystery that everyone around him already had.

I thought about this man for the next few days. What was it that motivated to learn to read this difficult language? Was it a job application that he wanted to read himself? Was it the program at his child's school performance? And why didn't he learn to read when he was at a younger age? Did he attend school? Was he tired of flubbing his way through the literate world?

Just the night before I saw this man at the library, I had attended a workshop on literacy. A children's book author talked about literacy, motivation, and keeping kids interested in reading. Her book, called Dream, also talks about cultivating dreams, and the importance of dreaming in people's lives. I couldn't help but tie everything together: the book, the dream, and the man at the library. One phrase stuck out particularly to me during the workshop. As she was talking about literacy, the author said, "Your world is as big as your words."

Think about this. Your world is as big as your words. It struck a note with me. Big time. When I learned to read at a young age, my world got bigger instantly. I traveled to places in this big world, too, just by reading. I already had an idea of what New York City was like before I went there, thanks to Judy Blume. I traveled to Ireland even before I got on a plane, thanks to Frank McCourt. As I have read more and more, and have been in school reading to learn, my world has grown exponentially bigger. At anytime, if I want my world to be bigger, I can pick up a book on anything and just read.

This man at the library has chosen to make his world bigger. At an older age than most, but he is motivated to make it bigger. I'm sure he dreams of the day when his world is going to get bigger. I wish I could be there when he travels to far-flung places just by reading words. He's going places, that's for sure.