Today, while with my nuggets, we read a short story called Walking by Roland Smith (see below to read it yourself!). It was a really refreshing read, about a boy who befriended an older woman and became determined to get sidewalks in his town. I could praise this story in many ways- encouraging the interaction between youth and senior citizens, showing kids to stand up for what they believe in when given the third degree, fighting pollution and supporting the environment, etc. However, the message I got from the story that hit me the hardest was the fact that the main character, Bryce, didn’t give up on his goal. He kept working toward it, even when he hit obstacles that seemed impossible to overcome.

I think that’s an incredibly important message to send to today’s kids. They are so used to instant gratification in their video games and itouch plugged-in technological world. Any goal worth achieving isn’t going to be accomplished overnight. It may take a week, month, or even several years to accomplish, but if you put in the time, effort, and determination, anything can be done. :)