The Little Girl in the Waiting Room

July 8, 2031

Dear Readers,

I come from a rough background. The term “rough” may be misconstrued so allow me to explain. I was born into a single parent home. I was never introduced to my father and my mother did the best she could to care for me. My mother worked the day and night shift and so I hardly ever saw her. The truth in the matter was that as hard as she was working she still wasn’t making very much money. Her top priorities were finding work and putting food in front of me so that I wouldn’t starve. My mother and I hit rock bottom when she lost her day job; she was only working nights and was not making enough to pay the bills.

It was then that we dragged ourselves to Crisis Assistance Ministries’ waiting room where we waited for hours to get called to a little podium to produce our misfortune so they could help us out. I am thankful for Crisis Assistance, because without them I am not sure of how we would have made it. As my mother and I sat and waited my spirit continued to drop as I watched people come in and out of the doors.

I was just about to cry and demand that we leave when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She was dressed up in a bright yellow costume and she was carrying bags of presents. As I stared,  she walked towards me. I couldn’t believe that this beautiful book worm was coming towards me with what seemed like the biggest smile I had ever seen. When she got to where my mother and I were sitting she bent down and asked me if I liked presents. “YES!” I told her, “I love presents!” As she reached into her magical bag of presents she pulled out a large package that was pink with sparkles all over it. As I unwrapped the giant princess book inside of this special pink package, the book worm herself told me that I was the most special girl in the entire world; and that if I read my new book every single day then I could grow up to be and do anything I could ever possibly imagine!

I was eight then. As the book worm hugged me and continued on, my imagination began to spin and swirl with all kinds of ideas and plans for when I got older. I decided then, at that moment, that I would become a teacher. As my mother and I sat in the waiting room and waited for our number to be called, I began to travel through the world of Cinderella and Ariel as one of Erma the Book Worma’s special helpers read me the stories of these authorial princesses, but I was the one who felt like the princess that day.

I did exactly as Erma the Book Worma had told me. I read every single day from that day on. I read anything I could get my hands on. Books to me became magical. Eventually I moved on to longer books with all different types of stories and school became my best friend. Before I met Erma, I would sit alone and cry for my mother. I never liked reading because I never thought I was good at it.  But after my mother began teaching me how to read my Magic Book, I was excited to go to school every morning because I knew how to read!

I began to work very hard in school and I truly excelled. So much so, that I became valedictorian of my high school class and garnered a full ride to the college. I went on to graduate with a degree in elementary teaching and currently teach kindergarten in the neighborhood where I grew up. I have, in many cases, the very first opportunity to reach the children whose parents, like my mother; did not have the ability to worry about their child’s reading skills when they are just scrambling to put food in front of their children. I have the chance to make reading fun, and a part of their everyday lives just as Erma did for me.

Thank you Erma the Book Worma and Promising Pages for your unique passion to save children’s lives through books. You saved mine so many years ago and I am forever grateful. Had I not met Erma, I do not think I would have ever learned to read. I was discouraged and embarrassed of myself, but never again. My school career may likely have ended when I turned sixteen; after all no one in my family had graduated high school.

I encourage each of you to get involved in this amazing organization that saves children's lives. I am a witness to the impact one book makes on a precious life.  A book can can lead a child to limitless possibilities. Imagine a world where every child in need would receive the gift of a book; a gift that keeps on giving and fuels the brain of a future teacher, inventor, or world leader. Could crime rates go down? Graduation rates go up? Would you be willing to give a book to find out?

Thank you again, Promising Pages.

Sincerely,

The little girl in the waiting room

(Essay written by Allie Halter, Promising Pages High School Intern, Summer 2012)