So to detach ourselves from the new “normality” where the world just appears to be a bit upside down right now with the virus, the news, racism, Trump etc (the usual), I thought I would write something a bit different on here.
Hands down my favourite children’s book (believe me I’ve read a lot of children’s books being a preschool teacher), and probably up there with my favourite book ever, ahead of James Bond novels, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Homo Sapiens etc. Many people look at this as a pleasant rhyming book with half-decent illustrations, but it is so much more than that. It’s metaphors, it’s messages, it’s life advice; every time I read this to the kids in my nursery, I fall more and more into the story. It is however not really a story. It does not have the typical beginning middle and end, but it does give meaning to our existence, gives us advice as motivation, through simple rhymes, alliterations, analogies and pictures, and, most importantly, it tells us what life is like. It still inspires me to make everything I write into a rhyme. This really shows, that when he wrote this, Dr. Seuss was in his prime…oops see? Didn’t even mean that!
The book itself begins by explaining that today is the first day of the rest of your life. This is the day where you begin on that journey through life. While it is supposed to be aimed at children who are at the beginning of their life, it can absolutely apply to anyone reading it who has yet to make that first step to achieve something, yet to begin a journey, yet to do something important, yet to go and experience life. Using capital letters when saying the word “YOU”, it makes it seem like the book is talking to you the reader, and to the child or children you are reading it to. “You can steer yourself any direction you choose”. The only thing stopping you from doing something, is you. You can go anywhere you want, you can go down any path you want. You need to make the decision.
“You’ll be best of the best” is something that seems to be ingrained on our minds from early years. You are unique, life only has good things in store for you, you are better than anyone. But the wise Dr lets you know that life is not full of happy and successful times. “Except when you don’t…because, sometimes, you won’t”. It lets us know that bad things can happen. In life, suffering is inevitable. We often sugar coat this to children, telling them that life is full of wonder, adventure, and happiness. Dr. Seuss, however, manages to convey to children and us all, that “Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen”. The bad things that happen could potentially leave you in a “slump”. This slump refers to being in a state where you feel down, depressed, in the pits. I’ve been in a “slump” myself, many a time, and I can confirm that “un-slumping yourself is not easily done”. Who would have thought that a book written 30 years ago, for children, would speak volumes in terms of the difficulty in getting yourself out of a depression?
Then follows several questions symbolising the difficulty and confusion in finding the right way of getting out of a depression or a dark place. The questions then end with my favourite quote from this book. “simple it is not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind maker-upper to make up his mind.” This emphasises the difficulty we all face when figuring out the right way to move forward.
“The waiting place” really resonated for me. I procrastinate. I would likely win a medal in the procrastolympics. I have numerous things to do, but there are so many good things on Netflix…and facebook! It’s horrendous how much time I spend mindlessly scrolling through the blue glow when I could be being productive. “I’ll do it later” …”I’ll do it tomorrow”. Tomorrow comes and I repeat my words. This IS the “Waiting place”! NO! says Dr. Seuss. The waiting place isn’t for you. If you leave the waiting place you will find bright places – the bright places, I feel, are in our head. When I decided to get rid of Facebook temporarily and limit
the amount of time I spend watching TV, I found myself with this extra energy, I was productive, I achieved things, my motivation was already clearly higher. Why wait? Don’t procrastinate. Go now and you will feel brighter in your head.
I was particularly interested in the part where it depicts loneliness as being just a part of life. Whether you like being alone or you hate it, you do not have a choice sometimes. You will be alone a lot. I am on my own now as I write this. And even when you are surrounded by people, you may feel lonely. I have been through times like this when I have been sitting with family and friends, talking away and socialising…but have felt like I am completely on my own. It is a very unpleasant place to be. When you are alone, there will be things that scare you, maybe so much so that you will just want to stop and give up. But we cope. We move forward. “But on you will go though…”. He talks about things that will happen to us when we try to move forward and get on with our lives be that fowl weather, prowling enemies, howling Hakken-Kraks (whatever that may be), leaking sneakers and sore feet. Even though you will get mixed up along the way forward, remember that life is just one big balancing act.
Towards the end it says that regardless of who you are (using some unheard of and strange names), you are on your journey to great places. So, it does not matter who you are, we are ALL going to great places, we are ALL moving forward and we ALL have good times ahead. The last line in the book just calmly gives you that gentle push to go and get on with things, a simple “get on your way” and the book is put down and a feeling of motivation rises within.
You should absolutely buy this if you have never read it before and need some inspiration or motivation to go and get on with life, or if you’re in a “slump”, or if you have children. My favourite book ever. Chances are you will want to have the actual book so you can read it when you’re “hung up in a prickle-ly perch”.
A fantastic book that puts a smile on your face and gives you a good kick up the backside to get yourself moving forward.