Passing the Torch

Passing the torch: one generation to another.

My, how times have changed as I glance at our

family photo albums!  What has not changed is

the love we feel for one another. Hair and clothing

styles are different.   With the upcoming

celebration of Valentine’s Day, I took note

of the handcrafted artwork of our children

hanging on the walls. Our daughter made

paper, shaped it into hearts, a cupid, and a

meticulously handwritten note in cursive handwriting.

The underlying message was one of love. We end

phone calls with “ich liebe Dich.”  Passing the torch

means giving the gift of music and the gift

of learning foreign languages. As our two children

grew, it was my custom to sing to them in German.

Mornings meant the song Guten Morgen, liebe Sonne.

At bedtime, the nightly routine was singing Brahm’s

Lullaby in German:  Guten Abend, gute Nacht.”  At

our daughter’s request, I sang while she recorded my

voice and played it to our unborn grandchild.

The very best time to teach foreign languages and

to play a musical instrument is when children

are young.  It is simply child’s play then.  Our little

Isabella is off to a great learning adventure!

Grandma thinks she heard her say her first

word as she carefully formed her mouth to

mimic our daughter saying “Hi” to her.  In

return a “Hi” back.  Not impossible at

almost two months of age.  Parents around

the world delight in watching their offspring

learning to navigate the world.  A family

friend in Germany just sent three children’s books.

Passing the torch in teaching German means the

satisfaction felt when former students become

German teachers and engage their students with

the same projects such as illustrated Haiku poetry.

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