"I'm a word person"

I just finished reading "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman for my children's lit. class. I loved this book. It's the story of an innercity community garden told from thirteen different perspectives. It was so sweet and so pure and yet it dealt with racism, being an immigrant, old age, loneliness, fear, teen pregnancy, child abuse, healing and sense of community. In less than a hundred pages this book was entirely effective in getting it's message accross.

Everytime I read a text for this class I am moved to write. I want to write something that some child or young adult will pick up and be able to take something new and apply it to their lives. I want to effect change through words. I feel like I have so much to say, I just don't know how to say it yet.

I think that this book was particularly stricking to me as it is reminiscent of Spiral Garden, my summer sanctuary. If everyone could experience just a little bit of time in a place like that the world would be a better place. My parents did something right when they chose which summer programs to involve me in. I'm going to be twenty this summer, and it will be my fourteenth summer at the Garden and at my overnight camp. Every year I deliberate over which location will get more of my time and effort. Reading this book left me feeling entirely invested in going to both locations where my roots are firmly planted. I suppose I just wait until age and finances rip me from that sacred soil. Just not this year.