07/23/2026
July has become library month around here.
Every week, the girls fill their bags with books that catch their eye, and I usually grab one or two that catch mine. This summer we've been reading about Fauja Singh, the oldest man to run a marathon, and a little boy with one leg navigating new friends on the playground in What Happened to You?
I've been reading a boy meets girl kinda novel written by a man because I was curious about his perspective on love, and Hagitude, which explores the history of menopause.
It made me realize how easy it is for our worlds to become smaller than we think. The books we read, the podcasts we listen to, the people we follow, they're all quietly shaping how we see the world. And the algorithms are getting really good at serving us more of what we already like.
I notice this every time I'm out with Paige. It's often easy to tell when someone is meeting a person with a disability for the first time. Most people are kind, they just haven't had much exposure. And I get that, because that used to be me.
That reminds me that empathy doesn't usually happen by accident. We practice it by intentionally making room for people and perspectives that are different from our own.
So this is my little summer challenge, for myself as much as anyone else. Pick up one book you wouldn't normally read. Listen to one new voice. Follow someone whose life looks different from yours.
Here's a few favorites from our bookshelf along with a few from our latest library haul : )