If you didn't know by now, I homeschool my daughter. And trust me, this has truly been a learning process for both of us.
Today, we started reading "Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story." Dr. Ben Carson is a renowned neurosurgeon who grew up in the ghetto of Detroit. My mother urged me to read this book when I was in high school, and now I'm introducing it to my daughter.
And, with such good timing, too. We had another talk in which she, being extremely sensitive, began to shed sprinkles of tears. I was again frustrated with her taking too long on her studies and how homeschooling is a privilege. As we read today, I find myself just like Dr. Carson's mother. As he put it:
"...her refusing to allow me to settle for less than the best came across as nagging, demanding, even heartless to me. When she believed in something she held on and wouldn't quit. I didn't always like hearing her say, "You weren't born to be a failure, Bennie (Dove). You can do it!"
Jokingly, I said, "I guess I sound just like his mother, huh?" She fervently shook her her up and down and said, "Uh-huh." Lesson: Don't ask for the truth unless you're ready to handle it. Anyway, we discussed the first two chapters and I hope she makes some connections for herself as we continue reading. Because as Dr. Carson says about his mother, Sonya Carson:
"Over a period of years, with Mother's encouragement...I started believing that we really could do anything we chose to do. Maybe she brainwashed us into believing that we were going to be extremely good and highly successful a whatever we attempted. Even today I can clearly hear her voice in the back of my head saying, "Bennie, you can do it. Don't you stop believing that for one second."
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