A Dose Of Dr. Seuss

As I was wondering through the book store the other day, I ran into an old friend.

A friend I hadn’t heard from in years. A friend that comforted me throughout my childhood and beyond.

A friend that etched a little fun and whimsy into my personality. That friend was Dr. Seuss.

I was spoon fed on a steady diet of the terrific tongue twister and master rhymer, Dr. Seuss. Thanks to my mother, I was enrolled in four book clubs as a child.

I liked Dr. Seuss because the books were colorful and “seemingly” nonsensical. I loved The Cat in the Hat, especially his colorful babershop pole hat. Another favorite was Green Eggs and Ham among many others.

The book store has a story time for children where an employee reads children's books aloud to a group of wide-eyed kids. After noticing that it was Dr. Seuss week and the selection was Green Eggs and Ham, I immediately sat in with the other children of multiple ages.

As the reader read, “.. Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham,”
I recalled those same words being read many years ago when I was a wide-eyed child.

Though the years say that I am not a child, I defy it’s edict and insist that I am still the child in the wilderness expanding to understand rhyme and reason, the whys and the wise.

In listening to my old friend Dr. Seuss, I discovered that his words are quite philosophical and profoundly meaningful.

In that spirit, I would like to share some favorite Dr. Seuss quotes.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.”

"He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go. All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something you'll be quite a lot. I'm afraid sometimes you'll play lonely games too, games you can't win because you'll play against you. You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.”

Dr. Seuss also made me realize that a child is only as wise as their beginning. Before the rough and tumble of the world has a chance to land on them and form their opinions or crush their spirits, there is a pure spirit that is attentively building the silo of truth and comfort to shield them from the outside world. By leaving a child in the center of imagination, it leaves the gate wide open to come back any time.

Who have been your childhood teachers?