Day One

Before we get too far along, you should probably know what I’m all about. I was an educator for over 30 years – even I can’t believe it was that long or that I’m this old, but there it is. During my career I taught middle school (shudder at the thought) and high school English and was the school librarian for a middle and high school. I was a yearbook advisor and newspaper advisor. After leaving public education, which I walked away from and never looked back, I found that I did miss sharing books and ideas with children and adults interested in a wide range of things. I then found my place at a local public library in the children’s library. So my experience has grown, and I can say that I have worked with children from birth through high school and from there through their adult years. I have read aloud to them, recommended books, acted as surrogate parent and counselor, befriended them, gone to their weddings and more of their funerals than should ever have happened. I’ve even taught children of the children I taught. But now I am no longer teaching in a school or sharing with children in a library. I still want to engage in interesting conversations about a wide range of topics. That's where this blog has ended up. It started as a place to share books and will continue to do that. But it has moved on to ideas that I feel are worth discussion — from depression, to purpose, to relationships and community. I hope you enjoy what I have written and that it gives you something to think about in your own life. Reply to my writing and let's start a conversation. View all posts by Lynne Vanderveen Smith