Today In History: February 24th - Why Today Is So Dear To My Heart

As you know, I'm on an adventure to reacquire knowledge I have forgotten. So... today I'm looking at history.

If you missed why I'm going on this adventure, just see my post: All The Things I've Forgotten Over The Years: What I'm Doing To Relearn It All Now.

Here I am in my living room/writing area, sitting in my rolling office chair, which is not in front of my computer station. A simple twist and roll behind me and I'm at my bookshelf. Here I remove one of my history books. After reading what it says about today, I reach back and pull out a second book. This will involve more research for a post later.

My 30-minute exercise tonight has given me this Today In History post.

Today in 1786, Fairytale writer Wilhelm Grimm is born. In 1836, American painter Winslow Homer is born.

And in 1500, Charles the V, the greatest of all the Habsburg emperors is born in the town of Ghent. I'll have to go there someday.

Before Charles was 20, he was "the master of more land in Europe than anyone since the Roman emperors, including Charlemagne." It would be wonderful to tour those lands. Add that to my bucket list.

The second book I reached for in my library was one of my Fairytale books. Grimm intrigues me. I have forgotten much. Time to reacquire my Fairytale knowledge.

As significant as the births of Charles and Wilhelm were to the world, today another person was born who is nearer and dearer to my heart. My oldest daughter is 22 today.

What I recall with great fondness is reading Shakespeare together at night when she was still in pre-school. I was a newspaper journalist at the time in Syracuse, New York. I also was teaching at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University - my alma mater.

One day I made it a point to bring her to one of my classes - an impromptu "Bring Your Daughter To Work" day. My hopes were she would learn as a pre-schooler that college was for her.

She was always an excellent student.... and a better daughter than I was a father. This year, she will graduate from Syracuse University... and I couldn't be prouder. Go 'Cuse!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Being a dad is a tough job. Plenty of times one kid will act up and the rest will, too. Classic case of Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Not fun. But sometimes that pattern is wonderful.

Right now, I'm watching my kids reading and writing. I told one of them she could read a book and write a report on it if she wanted. She pulled out a book on soccer, a pencil and paper and plopped down on the living room carpet.

Source: Microsoft Office Images

It caused a chain reaction. It did. It did. The baby marched into the other room, grabbed her magnetic letters and started arranging them in alphabetical order. At this stage, the alphabet song is essential to her recall process.

The boy saw his sisters in action. Here's something to laugh about: He put down his Nerf gun and ran upstairs. After a few minutes he rushed down and sat at the dining room table. He had a First Reader book, paper and a pencil and a question for me: "Dad, what's a report?"

Except for the sound of the baby singing "A-B-C-D-E-F-G..." the house is now eerily quiet. They are all working on their reading and or writing skills.

As a lover of words, you gotta just love that image. It's a beautiful thing. This is my answer to my students when they gasp in shock after I tell them I don't have cable TV. We don't tune into local TV, either.

"What do your kids do all day?!" they ask.

Microsoft Office Images

They play. But often they also read and write... and have fun doing it. You hear that? Shhhh. Listen... Now you hear it? Yes. That's the sound of three young minds - neurons firing - as they explore reading and writing.

It's a beautiful thing.