If you have ever heard the storyteller Carmen Deedy tell the story--live--of her first encounter with a librarian, than you'll understand why I picked up "Charlotte's Web."
It's interesting I never read this book in my youth, considering it holds a key line that my family and friends find vital in knowing me: "The quickest way to spoil a friendship is to wake somebody up in the morning before he [or she, in my case] is ready."(p. 35) And as such I found myself drawn to Charlotte's character.
I don't know what I was thinking I would find in the old hard cover book, which had my sisters name scrawled delicately in crayon as only a child can do. But I set off on an adventure with the intent to save Wilbur, and instead found myself entranced by the life (or web) I've been spinning for myself.
For the past while now, I have felt as though I have just been hanging on. Hanging by a thread, as they say. I have been aching for those days of youth when the choices were merely who you would play with that day and not which bill can wait to be paid. And so I found my response surprising when I read the line, "The world is a wonderful place when your young."(p. 18) I thought to myself, 'yes it was, but it most certainly still is.' And as I read along, Charlotte began to trim back her web to make room for the words that would show the world how an ordinary pig named Wilbur is some-terrific-humble pig. With each new word Charlotte created, I began feeling as though I could see through the web I've been casting around myself.
Sometimes we just need a new narrative for ourselves (as my mom would say). It's as easy as changing three little words: bored, tired, and frustrated become excited, poised and adventurous. So my new narrative is not Wilbur's, but Charlotte's children began building my web to read: Denver is excited, poised, and drawn to the adventurous day.
What does your narrative say?
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