Stories from my Past: Where the sidewalk ends and where it begins.

sarah stout

As I wrote before in this post about Shel Silverstein Where the Sidewalk Ends was a very influential book as a child. I loved the imagery and creativity that I felt in those pages. I even memorized Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the Garbage Out! as part of my show and tell in 3nd grade. Boy was the teacher surprised when I told him I had it memorized.

sarah stoutI read yesterday an article about Shel Silverstein and it reminded me of an experience that I had forgotten that I wanted to share. I had a beloved teacher who lost her husband in the past, so I went to her home to visit her and show my support.

While I was there she introduced me to her grandchild she said who was “creative” like she thought I was. I spoke with the kid for a bit since seemed to want us to talk, and I suddenly remembered that I had just bought the book Where the Sidewalk Ends. I was so pleased to read the poems again after not reading them for so long.

I excused myself and went out to my car and came back and asked my former teacher if it was ok to give her grandchild a gift. I have found that it is always best to get parental permission before giving a child anything from my experiences in daycare. The teacher said yes and so I presented her with the book. She was so surprised and thanked me.

I hope that she found the book as enjoyable as I did as a child. I always thought that imagination is where the best things in life came from. We imagine we can love someone, and then we accept that person and choose to love them. Thanks, Shel for your gift of sharing joy with others.

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