Mother did not like to read books…

My mother was not a reader. She was a looker! She observed her world.

Once, when asked what book she would recommend to others, her answer was, “the Book of Nature–just look around!”

I’ve thought of that idea often. Of course, mother seemed to assume that she couldn’t do both: read books and read life. To me, there is no such conflict, but she lived as if there were. She’d look around, and not down into pages. She’d be the adventuress, and not the armchair adventuress.

And her legacy? I believe I learned to observe and I hope today’s children learn to do that also. As a result, in February/March, the Boston Children’s Museum will exhibit my collection of street crossing signs of children from around the world! As I’ve traveled, I’ve observed that signage (of the two children going to school) in different countries is very different; reflecting different cultures.. More on this show later. The power of observation! Most of my friends told me they never noticed street signs–and now they do.

But mother’s legacy lives on. Open your eyes! See the world! Get out of the IPad and IPhone—check the passing scene. She would tell us to do that. And, I have to say, there’s wisdom in her words.