A Lesson from Dr. Goat
February, 2021
A Picture Book for All Ages
Three cheers for those who have provided amazing care to others during this ongoing COVID pandemic.
A gigantic salute to doctors, nurses, hospital and medical office workers, mental health providers, teachers, grocery store stockers and clerks, and more. What a huge difference you have made in our lives.
And now, it is heartening to see a mounting effort to get people vaccinated as soon as possible.
All of this positivity, after a deluge of negativity, got me thinking about good old Dr. Goat.
“Who,” you might ask?
One of my favorite picture books when I was a child was Dr. Goat. As a youngster, I’m sure I was drawn to the colorful illustrations of animals in this short tale. But now, I see how Dr. Goat had an implicit message for all ages.
Rather than tell you about the book, I decided to send you an early Valentine this month. Here is my bedtime (or anytime) story for you to enjoy:
I may not have understood Dr. Goat’s message as a young child but I’m so glad I went to the trouble of tracking down this pearl so many years later. Caregivers need care. We need each other. What better time to be reminded of this?
If you’d like to share your reactions to the video/story, please do so. What caregivers are you appreciating the most these days? Which caregivers could use your support, recognition or a sweet Valentine?
P.S. Isn’t it wild to see a 25¢ price tag on this delightful book?
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Announcements:
“Margo’s House, 2013” was recently published in Spirited Voices: A Writing Journey into the Deep Imagination. This is one of a series of stories that may meander toward a book-length memoir.
Prompts For Joy
Click here to grin while sharing the laments of COVID-life.
(Such a gem, Peggy Landsman!)
Click here for some COVID-inspired art.
(Thank you, Sue Murray!)
Click here for all previous Prompts for Joy.
Pictured Above
Top: Morning Glory. Photo by Martha Clark Scala.
Middle: Cover of online magazine, Spirited Voices: A Writing Journey into the Deep Imagination.
Below: A sample page from Chapter 19 in my memoir, Assembling a Life: Claiming the Artist in My Father (and Myself).
Praise for Assembling a Life: Claiming the Artist in My Father (and Myself) by Martha Clark Scala
"There is a healing you offered not only to yourself but also to one reader —me — and I’m sure many others . . . in watching the unfolding of your history. Watching you so intimately tell the in-depth story is brave and inspiring."
~ Anonymous Reader
Sample page from Chapter 19. This memoir is loaded with color photos (and some black and white) on just about every page. A visual feast.
To purchase the premium softcover or e-book versions of Assembling a Life, click here.
Why Assemble a Life? An Interview with Author and Artist, Martha Clark Scala
What motivated me to write Assembling a Life: Claiming the Artist in My Father (and Myself)? Check out this video to find out. Comments and feedback welcome!
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