Welcome to Day 16 of our Giving Thanks project. Yesterday was America Recycles Day. We are blessed to enjoy all the gifts that our planet provides us…clean air, water, food, shelter, etc. We are responsible to maintain its beauty and cleanliness so that future generations can enjoy it also. If you haven’t already committed to recycling and living a more sustainable lifestyle, I hope you will learn more about this and begin making changes now. Every little bit helps. If you missed that post, you can find it here: Nature
As I was thinking about today’s blessing, I was reading through my notes, looking around my apartment, and scrolling through the internet for inspiration. That’s when it occurred to me that I am so thankful that I can read. And if you are reading this post, then you are also blessed with the gift of literacy. I do believe this is really a gift because having the ability to read opens all kinds of doors for us.
I have definitely taken my ability to read for granted. I guess I assumed that everyone could read. I was wrong. According to ProLiteracy, more than 43 million adults in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level.
Furthermore, children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. These children are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out.
Of adults with the lowest literacy levels, 43% live in poverty, and 70% of adult welfare recipients have low literacy levels. There is a clear correlation between more education and higher earnings and between higher educational scores and higher earnings.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
Dr. Seuss
I loved to read when I was little. Some of my favorite childhood books were Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Little House on the Prairie, and The Boxcar Children. I would read under the covers at night with a flashlight, or curl up on the floor of my closet with a blanket and a book. I still love the smell and feel of a book in my hand. I thank all the adults in my life for encouraging my love of reading.
Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled “This could change your life.”
helen exley
So today, let’s take a moment to realize how fortunate we are that we can read and write. Our ability to read and write has made it possible for us to accomplish many things in our life. We can read a menu, apply for a job, read traffic signs, and read blogs! I think many of us take this skill for granted. This year, 1.2 million young adults will drop out of high school in this country. This should never happen in 2020. We are better than that.
If you are interested in volunteering to help adults learn to read, I found this website online: Proliteracy.org. If you know of other organizations looking for volunteers to help with literacy, please feel free to leave a comment below. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for today.
Until next time, keep looking for the goodness around you.
With gratitude,
Denise 🙂