reading | Father Tom Tirman OSM

As a summer project, Scotty and I have been reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” together, though “together” generally means I am way ahead of him. Many years ago, Steph and I read “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” together, but that was as far as I went. When Scott and I decided to read the series, I asked Steph about it. Steph, who is an avid reader, was able to provide us with two full sets of the series from her personal library!

It amazes me at how much I love to read, but how little I actually do. I find it very relaxing AND, I find that it also helps in my rehab. This series in particular has been so much fun for me too. As a priest, CS Lewis was a theologian, not a fiction writer. But “The Chronicles of Narnia” seems to contain both fiction and theology. It has been a real blessing to me, as well as a privilege to read them with Scott.

I began to read “The Last Battle” this evening, which is the last book in the series, and I am both excited and depressed about getting to its end! I know there are other books I can read, but there have been few books I have enjoyed as much as these.

Anyway, I’m off to stay ahead! I hope to finish “The Last Battle” by bedtime. Of course the last battle is never really over……..I still have to push that 15 year old boy of mine to catch up! But in truth, it is still easier than getting him to clean his room!

Nite and God bless!

Fr. Tom+

My son Scotty and I are reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” together this summer, and today was the day we discussed the first book, “The Magician’s Nephew.” We had a great time sitting together talking about it, with both of us bringing our particular insights.

It reminded me of how broad our experiences of life can be if we only look a bit deeper. I would have never imagined Scotty and I doing something like this together. We have done all the other usual dad/son things like playing ball, skating, mowing, riding bikes, and watching our beloved Cubs. But reading books together and talking about them was a real stretch for us both.

In truth, I never read when I was Scott’s age. As a matter of fact, it was in grad school when I first confessed to a professor of mine that I had not read one book for leisure in my life. It wasn’t that I couldn’t read, because I read a lot for class. I just considered reading for fun a waste of my time……a mistake I regretted deeply later in life.

My professor, Locke Bowman, knew better and he made me read “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Huckleberry Finn” for class (it was an independent study) and we used both books then for discussions about educational theory. He knew he could draw me into reading, and he did! It was a brilliant move, and the mark of a true teacher with a passion for learning. Thanks Locke, I haven’t stopped reading since.

I certainly don’t want Scott to deprive himself of something so meaningful like I did, and after our discussion today I believe that will not be a problem. We move this week to “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” and we are both looking forward to discussing it next Friday!

What a great way to begin that 47th year! I am blessed that he will read with me…..now if I can just get him to clean his room!

God bless!

Tom+

Father Tom Tirman OSM

Tag Archives: reading

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