A Book Worth Reading Again

Some books stay alive and provide what's neededtime and time again.
Watership Down is such a book.
It being one of my favorites from my childhood and again in later years, I had wanted to read it to my classes over the years, but was always reticent.

First of all, the language and style is advanced for fourth graders. Words like "mustlidae" pop up all the time giving Webster a run for his money (the college edition didn't have it, but the unabridged did.)

More importantly, the book has themes and content that are pretty heavy and sometimes dark: death, violence, tyranny, freedom, elitism, and nihilism, true leadership, bravery and sacrifice. It is tragic and adventurous, soft and wildly threatening. And this book is about rabbits. Chocolate Easter Rabbits and
Little Bunny Foo Foo need not apply.

Instead, the reader is given Hazel - the inexperienced leader. Fiver the prophet. Bigwig - strong, blunt, but fearless and true. There comes Kehaar - a seagul with a sailor's mouth who flies like lightening out of the thunderous clouds to save the day.

And, there is General Woundwart. One of my personal picks of baddest of the bad, and not "bad meaning, bad, but bad meaning good" Though he is a tyrant, the author gives him depth and his powerful menace provoke not only terror, but a true admiration and respect for a soul on fire and without fear.

So, I finally am reading this book to my class, and they, to their credit, are loving it. And even though I have read it myself about 3 or 4 times, I still have to read ahead in the evenings, and only put it down again with a sigh.

Something Lenten This Way Comes

In my desk calendar of daily quotes from Mr. e=mc squared himself,
he says:
"I admit that thoughts influence the body."

The converse also seems true. The body influences the thoughts,
and I'm looking forward to the church's helpful encouragement
of my good thoughts by the coming fast.

Yes, there's the hunger (actually, not really as often as I imagine) and
the tiredness. But, more importantly, with the fast comes a sense
of lightness, clarity, and sometimes joy.

Lately, after three weeks of preemptive "make-up work" for
what I'm soon to be missing, my body is most often telling me to take a nap.
Maybe today I'll take a walk instead.