Dear WinkWorld Readers,
When I read “to ache with caring” (Mem Fox, p. 22) in 1993 in a book about teaching, learning, and living, I was gob-smacked*. Finally, someone understood how I felt. I immediately took the book to a class on English language arts, which I was teaching at California State University, Stanislaus, and the teachers and I began our love affair with all of the work of dear Mem.
The picture below is my original book.
Immediately, the teachers in my class encouraged me to communicate with Mem Fox, but I did not know her, and she lives in Australia. On a whim I sent a fax, which initiated a treasured communication known to all of us as FoxFax and WinkLinks. When she initially responded to us, we were thrilled, and I have kept that treasured piece of paper all of these years. Please note the date (October 31, 1993).
Recently, I have taken a surprise trip down memory lane with my Mem books. Several months ago I told this story to a dear teacher friend, Missy Urbaniak of Atall school featured in my Prairie Pedagogy series. I also passed on my Radical Reflections book and all of my treasured, faded paper fax from Mem. I was confident that my memories of Mem would live on safely with Missy. At that point, I forgot about giving her the book.
However, that is not the end of this story.
Recently, Missy arrived for a visit, and she brought a gift for me. As my multiple copies of FoxFax are deteriorating fast, she typed up our early correspondence and put them in the correct chronological order. I was so overcome with joy and honor.
Below are photos of some of the barely-legible FoxFax we received from Mem and the newly-typed beautiful WORD doc copies, which Missy prepared.
I treasure what Missy did and, of course, she will now be the recipient of all of my “Mem books.”
Many of you may be familiar with Mem’s books for children. It is hard to choose my favorite, but maybe
Kaola Lou or maybe Possum Magic.
This week at Atall School, I get to read, Whoever You Are, so that may be my new favorite. Here is Mem as she reads her story.
Mem Fox NEW website: Fabulous.
A previous post on WinkWorld about Mem’s writing. (click below)
*gob-smacked – In my long academic career, that is the first time I ever needed that word….
I feel compelled to mention my previous blog post on Parkinson’s. Thank you so much for your heartfelt responses. A batch of your comments landed in a mysterious folder in WordPress for several weeks. It took the sleuthing of dear Annie Hlavka to find them for me. Thank you! Based on your responses, I may have to reconsider my comments about never writing about Parkinson’s again.
My next WinkWorld will feature my reflections on the many valuable contributions made by Jim Cummins.
