Our Human “Race”

May 20th, 2010 in Beauty in Everyday, Life

Have you read Is There Really a Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell? You should.  It has become one of my favorite children’s books. It talks about the “human race,” the point of our lives, why we do what we do and why we seem to be going as soon as we come out of the womb. It’s a clever story focusing on the RACE of the term, ‘human race.’

There is a part of the book that the girls and I always sit and talk about for a while after we read it.  It goes like this:

“Sometimes it’s better not to go fast, there are beautiful sights to be seen when you’re last.

Shouldn’t it be that you just try your best? And that’s more important than beating the rest?
Shouldn’t it be looking back at the end, that you judge your own race by the help that you lend?
So, take what’s inside you and make big, bold choice. And for those who can’t speak for themselves, USE BOLD VOICES.
And make friends and love well, bring art to this place.
And make the world better, for the whole human race.”
Love this. Love the conversation that flows from this.
I spend too much time over-thinking how to teach the girls these things when some of the time, (a lot of time, I think) it will come to them naturally. We talk about it together. We talk about the art on all different forms that they love in this world and what they want to add to the world. To talk about the help that we lend, the help that people have given us and what we want to work on; how it makes us feel inside and how to calm down and just enjoy life…I love these conversations; don’t you?
Boy I love these two little girls.

Photo by Kim Orlandini

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4 Responses to “Our Human “Race””

  • Rose
    May 20th, 2010 at 2:14 am

    Sounds like a great book! I love books that flow real well and especially ones that rhyme ;D

  • Emily H.
    May 20th, 2010 at 6:49 am

    I love that book! And the picture is priceless!

  • katia
    May 20th, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    olá Vanessa! Amo lêr os seus post, tenho descoberto que você gosta de coisas mais saudáveis e naturais…que bom! porque eu tambem gosto.
    Vou procurar no Brasil este livro que você falou.
    Muitos beijos…e um lindo dia para você!

    Kakau

  • Stephanie
    May 25th, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    That photo is stunning. Your older daughter’s expression is absolutely spellbinding.

    Also – it sounds like you are doing an awesome job teaching them those lessons, Vanessa. Keep up the excellent work!

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