Wisdom

Normally I try to think of some little story from my life that relates to the book I read for today (in fancy reading specialist language we call that text to self connections).  But today's story was really different.  Elizabeth Foreman Lewis' Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze is the story of Young Fu and his mother Fu Be Be.  The two move to the city after Young Fu's father dies and Young Fu is apprenticed to an iron worker.

The book is full of little pearls of wisdom, so for this post I am going to share a couple (and some of my favorite funny moments.

"When you have lived a few more years you will not make such foolish remarks."  This was said as a gentle scolding to Young Fu.  I agree that children sometimes make foolish remarks, but I love hearing them!

"It is better to remain ignorant than to know what is incorrect."  Wise words from the wise scholar who lives in the room upstairs.

"Li was not very successful about hiding things in his brain" I think this is a much better way to say someone can't keep a secret.

"Fu Be Be sighed.  She might as well accept calmly what life brought of good or ill." Cause what else are you gonna do?

"Their argument had already reached the stage of discrediting ancestors."  A much better way of saying "your mom" or the slightly more scathing, "yo mama."

This book is a great tale of growing up.  What I loved about it was that it didn't show growing up as a linear progression, but it shows growing up like it really is: you grow a little then you feel like you take a step backwards, then suddenly you're there.

Finding life's pearls of wisdom...that's kids stuff.