It’s hard to believe that my son is going to be 18 months old in just a few days. He’s grown up so much in just a short time. Mercedes and I have been buying things that we’ll use to aid in his development down the line. I’ve mostly bought books and toys that promote enrichment. A few of the books I did purchase reminded me of my own childhood. That brings me to this week’s moment in the Flashback Friday series: Dr. Seuss books.
How I first came across this moment? My first introduction to Dr. Seuss books was in the Fall of 1990…in Mrs. Rostick’s kindergarten class at Glen Iris Elementary. The book was yellow with black and red words. You may know it as One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.
What it meant to me then? As a 5-year-old, I was always very excited about the book. Grandma Sallie often read books to me when I lived with her but this was a bit different. This was reading a book in school, where I was learning and stuff. I remember meeting her at the fence every day and telling her the words I learned from the book.
What it means to me now? I haven’t read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish since my trip out to Santa Barbara 5 years ago, when I saw it in a bookstore right next to Segway of Santa Barbara. As amazing as it seems, it still had the same effect on me at 29 as it did when I was 5. In about a year, if not earlier, Ashton should be in a space where he’s reading—or at least legitimately understanding the words on the pages of books. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish will definitely be one of the books I’ll have him sit down and read. I wonder if he’ll feel the same way I did all of those years ago.
