For me, the years between ages ten and twelve were when I immersed myself in story and imagination. The books I read inspired me to attempt things that my doctors thought I would never do. The inspiration empowered me. And I began to do those things, including the all-important walk to Pacific Ocean Park, where I met my mentor.

The Healing Horse, Ch 3, Scene 3: Karen’s Reading Routine And A Trip To The Library

By age twelve, Karen had become more comfortable with herself as she was. Her school lessons and her life became easier for her. Nevertheless, Kitten sometimes found herself gazing deeply into the heavens of her own heart, escaping from her present. These daydreams, like her slumbering dreams, had a strength and benevolence that captured colorful images, which would eventually paint the picture of her whole life.

After having listened to so many fanciful stories, she now let her imagination light up her curiosity. Using her rapidly developing ability to read, she wrapped herself in books of wonder, sometimes creating sequels in her own mind.

At least once a week, she had Mama take her to the library. As she rode in Mama’s blue 1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe, she felt especially elegant. Mama had learned to drive and had bought the car specifically so they would not have to ride the city buses. Kitten knew that taking her on the bus was a hardship for Mama, since her brace made climbing up and down the steps impossible, and Mama had to lift her.

Upon returning home, she rushed into her bedroom to take off her shoes and favorite pink overalls and to put on her robe and cuddly slippers. Propping herself up with pillows, she opened her book and allowed a sense of surprise to transport her to fascinating and mystic places that captivated her heart. The more self-assured Karen became with reading, the more she engaged in the basics of learning, such as sounding out new words, looking them up in the dictionary and improving her spelling, which accelerated her reading competence. With growing childhood expertise, Kitten read more stories on her own. She practiced reading every chance she had.

It was an impressionable, informative and revealing time for Karen; a time to grow, to learn, and to experience life; to expand her thought processes, and to illuminate her mind with knowledge as she built her world through the books she read. It was also a time to be a child, free from care and worry.

She was ten years old when she began reading the carousel books. The spring air was cool, crisp and comfortable. It was a time of peace and tranquility. It was a time when she found herself enwrapped and enveloped in the protective, comforting retreat that the books she loved gave her. These books were her compass and her inspiration. They embraced her, enfolded her, and encircled her with a richness that gave her both an imaginative inner life and a direction in her outer life. It was a time when she allowed herself to master her dreams. The effects of reading gave her the courage to keep seeking. She would glance out of her window occasionally, gain strength from the earth’s presence, picture herself climbing onto her horse’s back, and riding toward her dreams.

#cerebralpalsy #dyslexia #inspirationalwriting #reading

©2020, Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved.