Wednesday, March 04, 2015

National Read Aloud Day March 4th, 2015


The first Wednesday in March is National Read Aloud Day. Some texts are written to be read aloud. Sometimes when I am stumped by a particularly difficult passage, I will close the office door and reread it aloud. Sometimes hearing and reading will help me decipher meaning. Reading is such a fundamental skill, and reading aloud helps to develop that skill, yet past childhood we do little reading aloud.  It is a practice we might all benefit from continuing to do.  

I decided to read and record a a passage from one of my favorite books. It only took me a moment to know what I wanted to read, it is a passage from Walden by Henry David Thoreau.  Walden was an assigned reading in High School, I believe it was assigned by Jack McCoy, who is now retired and I hear from regularly on Facebook.  I started into the book and couldn't put it down.  I reread parts of it in College. It is one of the few books that I have re-read many times.  The selection is from the section of the book on "why I went to live in the woods."  It has great meaning.  I am past the stage of wanting to go live in the woods, but the idea of living simply and pulling  great joy out of life, while being a sculpture of our happiness continues to ring true for me.  



4 comments:

  1. Very nice, Travel! I, too, love Thoreau and Walden in particular. We think a lot alike. I reread books over and over if they strike me as especially good, and many do.

    I think I'd still like to go live in the woods, with some creature comforts for sure, but as I age, simplicity seems the way to go!

    Peace <3
    Jay

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  3. I had a smile on my face all the while you read that.

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  4. Oh this was lovely fun
    Thank you again for prompting me to do this.

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