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Treasuring Simple Pleasures
The chapter opens with the sisters eagerly anticipating their Friday afternoon trip to the library, where they can each select one book. Only one sister—Sarah, the 8-year-old middle child—isn’t there. When she finally makes her appearance, her face is tear-stained because she can’t find the book she was supposed to return that day, a fact that fills the other sisters with dismay.In a day when we have streaming services, digital apps, and online books galore, it seems almost ridiculous to see these five children so thrilled with the opportunity to go to the library and pick out one book per week. Yet, their joy in such simple pleasures speaks volumes to those of us who complain about the many problems in our country today.
Instilling Responsibility
When the search for the lost book proves fruitless, Sarah’s mother insists that she must go to the library, explain what happened, and then pay for the lost item. “It’s only right,” Mama said. “You borrowed the book and that makes you responsible. ... I wish I could help you pay for this, but you know, Sarah, there’s no money for such things.”We live in a time where nothing is ever our fault. There’s always someone or something else to blame for a less-than-desirable situation—the boomers, the boss, politicians we don’t like, an alleged disorder. We’re even quick to enable our children to follow in this pattern by making excuses for their actions, which only continues the cycle of irresponsibility in our culture.
Role Model Opportunities
When the children reach the library, they are greeted by a new librarian, Miss Allen. Instead of scolding or harshly telling them they can’t return to the library until the book is paid for, she receives them kindly and sympathetically. She backs up their mother’s lesson in responsibility, affirming that Sarah must pay for the book, and works out a manageable weekly payment plan for the little girl. Such kind reception turns Miss Allen into an instant role model for the sisters, and the friendship that ensues eventually ends up repaying Miss Allen in a surprising way.Today, young adults like Miss Allen don’t know how to respond to children. They often look at them as a nuisance, an interruption to their career, or as foreign beings whose whims must be pacified at all costs.
Civility Through Sacrifice
When Miss Allen tells Sarah she can give a small percentage of her allowance every week toward the book payment, the other four sisters gather around in whispered conference, finally agreeing that they, too, will bring the same amount each week to help Sarah pay her fine.Life in the pages of “All-of-a-Kind Family” seems very peaceful and simple, a dream world that no longer seems possible in the fast-paced techno-world we live in today. But perhaps that’s due in part to the fact that we’ve forgotten the beauty of sacrifice, simplicity, and virtuous character. Who knows? Working to build these in our own lives may just be the first step toward the restoration of a society in which the peace and order that reigned in “All-of-a-Kind Family” returns.