While playing mahjongg with friends, they started talking about a book that I ordered as soon as I arrived home. On Saturday night, I read half of Stuff Happens (and then you fix it!) that came in my mailbox earlier in the day. Fate may have intervened when all this happened.

The next day, I went to Fort Worth for my dad’s unveiling. He passed away on December 25, 2007. His tombstone displayed his birth date of February 5, 1931 and his death date. Other than the stone saying, “Beloved husband, father and grandfather,” strangers passing by won’t know anything about him.

Stuff Happens discusses the dash that appears between people’s birth date and death date. Everyone comes to Earth and everyone dies. It’s that time between the two dates that make up who we are.

I decided to speak and referenced the book’s mentioning the birth and death dates. Then I told a Cliff’s Notes version of my dad’s life (paraphrased and added notes I forgot):

He was born in Brooklyn and loved the Dodgers, which rubbed off on me even though the Dodgers were long gone from Brooklyn when I arrived. He loved sports and excelled at it that he earned a football scholarship.

He ended up going into the U.S. Air Force instead of college and served during the Korean War. He was stationed at Fort Worth’s Carswell Air Force Base at the end of his four-year service where he met and married my mother in 1955, the year the Dodgers won the world series.

He had three children and four grandchildren, which of course, he bragged about all the time. Dad ran a successful life insurance and financing business for years and still managed it part-time just before his stroke. He also volunteered right up to then especially at Dallas-Fort Worth airport as an ambassador.

Everyone here [at the unveiling] stands as a testament for the kind of person he was. You cared about him and share many memories of him.

My son mentioned that Grandpa could imitate Donald Duck to make many children laugh. My niece talked about him taking us to baseball games. Both said he was a kind and nice guy. Dad had an office full of Donald Duck mementos thanks to his children giving them to him as presents for birthdays, Father’s Days, and others.

If Dad can hear me, then I would tell him to be very proud of his “dash.” He lived a full life in both enjoying his life for himself and doing for others to make the world a better place.

So, do you want to act as a victim of everything that goes wrong with your life (the economy sucks, lost retirement funds, lost job, can’t get a raise) or do you want to fix it and move forward in making your dash more meaningful?

I have a degree in elementary education, but I am not comfortable working with kids because I sound different and worry about understanding them. Obviously, I love kids as I have three of my own (the youngest turns two at the end of this month,—sob). Anyway, my kids’ school PTA has a program in which volunteers help tutor kids at schools that need extra help. I couldn’t do it.

I finally got the opportunity to work with kids without a single worry. In2Books is a program where adults mentor kids and share a love for reading with them. It’s all done by mail and email. I get a grade-level appropriate book (I have two fourth grade students in Washington, DC), read it, and then write a letter about it to the students. Each book cycle (there are five total) covers an type of book. So far, we’ve had fiction, social studies, biography, and folk tale. The next, and final, book is science-related.

The program started last summer. I had to put together a poster with pictures about me (jpg). Boy, that was my first art project in ages that was my own and not my kids’. Art is not one of my family’s stronger suits, but I did the best I could. Oh boy, I’ll have to do another one soon for next fall’s program. Anyone want to help?

Parents and teachers are comfortable with the program since volunteers like me type our letters in Word and email them. In2Books reviews the letters to ensure they’re A-OK. We don’t mention our last names and we use In2Book’s address, although it’s cool to say where we’re from.

The students don’t get to cheat. They have to write their letters by hand and In2Books scans them. It’s great seeing their handwriting and artwork. Although, I had some trouble reading a scan or two since the text was so light. Probably done in pencil.

Right now, students are mainly in Washington, DC schools and some Chicago schools. It’d be awesome if this program can go widespread, but it’s going to take a lot of volunteers and support to make it happen. After all, there is email to review, mail the books, and scan the student letters.

If I can do it… anyone can. I’ve got two jobs and neither one is parenting, which also takes up much time (and an enjoyable one… most of the time). I’ve had to find creative ways to volunteer in the past two years because of Paul’s job situation and my overloaded schedule.

Here’s an article that was in the Chicago Tribune and requires free registration… yeah, yeah.

in2books is a program where adults can volunteer to read books and write letters to grade school kids discussing the books.

I’ve received an assignment of two students in 4th grade and the book we’re going to read is Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World. Over the summer, I put together an “About Me” poster just like my kids do every year. It was fun and easy.

The program is safe as we do not share last names or personal information such as a mailing address. All correspondence goes through in2books.

The organization provides tips, examples, and information so you know what to do. I had no clue what to add in my “About Me” poster until I reviewed the examples provided and I got it done. They’re in need of more volunteers so more kids can be in the program.

I have husband, three kids, two jobs, and volunteer work. I wasn’t worried about signing up for this as it doesn’t take up much time — about an hour every few months.

For me, it’s a great opportunity to work with children without the concerns of them making fun of how I sound different or having trouble understanding them. I want to help children, but I get uncomfortable with a group. That’s a story for the other blog.