What a Wonderful World: Doing the write thing

Reading maketh a full man,

conference a ready man

and writing an exact man.

Sir Francis Bacon

John tries a new type of writing

Geoff has a go too

Geoff's bucket list

The children had been instructed by grandpa (alias Pipa) to write a journal so they were in a composing frame of mind as well. When they saw an Olympia typewriter at Halford House, they found hitting the keys fascinating.

The novelty of the typewritten word notwithstanding, there is nothing like a handwritten note to convey one's heartfelt appreciation.

Addressed to our gracious hosts at Halford House

Addressed to our dinner hosts Elder Paul and Lynn Skaife

Christy adds some sketches to liven up her journal

Christy finds inspiration from a
London guidebook

At intervals, the children would be given time and space to pen their thoughts in their journals.

Christy and Geoff update their journals the day after visiting
Niagara Falls, New York, USA

The children were also encouraged to try old-fashioned modes of communication like writing a postcard to their relatives in Singapore. They wanted to know what a postcard was for and why they had to send them! So a preamble was necessary and close guidance as the only postcards they have seen are the ones their mama had sent them from her travels. Even then, the concept seem far removed from their experience.

Geoff writes a postcard to his maternal grandparents

So whilst the laundry was being done at the laundromat, the children were spinning their own recount.

"What do I write? There is hardly any space to write anything," John protested. He is not wrong. The postcard does seem rather limited compared to what one can do on SMS or on a blog.

The composition process can be unbearably trying.

John pens a thank you note for our gracious and sacrificial host
Caleb Lopez in Ionia, Michigan

Christy always adds a little graphics to spice things up.

Christy and Geoff journalling upon returning to Toronto, Canada

This is MY composition. Still life.

We have been so blessed by so many!

By the time it came to the end of the trip, the children could compose their own thank you cards with minimal supervision. Having a grateful heart is an important trait we want the next generation to have - the knowledge that kindness has been shown and that our cup runneth over. Despite the fact that emails, short messaging and Facebook abound, a handwritten card albeit in some cases in the mail, is still the polite and proper thing to do.