“I think it’s our job to love the world."

There is a new book out titled Love. It is written by award winning author, Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Loren Long. It is simple and beautiful. It celebrates moments. It tries to explain what love looks like. But love can be complicated and de la Pena and Long acknowledge that in their book. And because they took that leap questions arose. 

Instead of me explaining, I offer you the experts. Here are two links. The first one is a column written by de la Pena for Time Magazine titled “Why We Shouldn’t Shield Children from Darkness.” The second one, "Why Children's Books Should Be a Little Sad" and also in Time, is by Kate DiCamillo, written in response to a question de la Pena posed in his column.

Read the columns. Buy the book. We might not be authors but I believe Kate is correct when she says, “I think it’s our job to love the world.”

The name Kate DiCamillo might sound familiar as I wrote about her over the summer. You can read that entry here.

LIFE IS RANDOM LOVE IS NOTTM

What would Bunny do?

Our mom, affectionately known as Bunny, would have been 87 today. 87. When I think about what she has missed in the almost twenty years she has been gone (grandkids, marriages, Quinn the Great.....) I get teary but then, because I am my father’s daughter, I pivot and think about what she has inspired. More than once over the years we have asked ourselves, “What would Bunny do?”

She wasn’t perfect by any means but as an only child whose father died when she was 4 and was subsequently shuttled between family members, Bunny somehow knew what she wanted when it came to having a family of her own: the more the merrier, lots of celebrations and love. All reasons she and Wally were a perfect match.

Sure Bunny has missed a lot but I’m fairly certain she would be awfully proud of how we’ve carried on. 

(This is one of my favorite Bunny photos. It was taken the fall before she got sick when she was the healthiest she had ever been. She was out for a walk in the woods with Clare and Mark. All I see is joy.)

LIFE IS RANDOM LOVE IS NOTTM