My Friends by Taro Gomi

My Friends by Taro Gomi

Rating: 5 learn-from-me stars

Some years ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I lived in Thailand as a Peace Corps Volunteer and loved my crazy existence and experience there.  While a friend visited me from the US during my two and half years in rural Uttaradit; I soon realized that there were two types of people in this world.  Some of us go to a new place or meet a new person and ask, "What can I learn from them?" and there are another group of people who look at a new place or meet a new person and ask, "Why do they do it like that?"

When I became a mother, I knew that it was super important to me to teach my kids to be in the first group, just like I am, as well as my husband, partner-in-crime, and their father.

During a visit to my step-sister's house, I discovered a little children's book that I'd never seen before and fell in love with it: My Friends.  It is a simple little book where a little girl learns from everything and everyone around her.  I don't have the book in front of me (I will soon!) but here's what I remember: "I learn to jump from the cat, I learn to swing from the monkey, I learn to read from my teachers, I learn to love from friends like you."  And the illustrations are just simple and beautiful.  Just simply beautiful.

This will be another of my go-to gift books for babies because it is such a wonderful message: Look around you, and learn from everything and everyone.  Now!