Generations

A four generation shot from 1998 - Mary Clayton, Barbara Terrill, Bonny and Ara Bolander.

Another four generation shot from 1974 - Mima Stevens, Mary Clayton, Barbara and Bonny Terrill.

I'm still sorting photos - and finding my mind going in all kinds of directions as I see events I'd forgotten about, see pictures I took of people that I don't even recognize anymore, see how we've all changed - mostly by growing older of course!

This spring I had one of my classes read Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.  If you haven't read it, by all means do - it's a novel for kids - it's part of the 6th grade core curriculum - and you'll have it read in a couple of hours. 

The story revolves around a family who inadvertently drank water from a spring that turns out to imbue them with eternal properties - they cannot die.  There's enough action to keep kids interested.  And enough philosophy to engage adults.  

I was impressed that most of the students seemed to think that being immortal was very cool - at first.  In fact, the ancillary materials that came with the book had the students answer a series of questions before they read the book - and then answer the same questions when they finished.  As the story progressed, they seemed to grasp how trying it might be to live forever.

It's a thought.  Actually it's several thoughts.

This is what happens when I sort photos and think!