Independent Study

I don't think I mentioned that A. and B. are teaching themselves American sign language. A. was the first to learn the ASL alphabet at school. Her early attempts were slow, and she kept stopping as she tried to remember which sign signifies which letter. Now she speeds through it automatically, and so does B., who got a book from the library and has been introducing signed words and phrases into our family lexicon. We all find the sign for "dang!" especially useful. At the library, B. also found a book on origami, and so has been studying how to fold paper.

As I sometimes do when I get a check, yesterday I celebrated by taking A. and B. out to buy them a few little things--all the while asking if I was succeeding in buying their love, heheheheheheh. I bought them a big pack of origami paper in a million colors. Then we went to the bookstore, and A. chose a biography of Einstein; B., a biography of Milton Hershey. I got a French/English dictionary, a book on French grammar, and The Wine Bible.

I was telling A. and B. how much I admire them for how they teach themselves to do things. Like how they taught themselves gymnastics. It was what, almost two years ago that they started with the handstands? Now they can walk on their hands for a little spell, they can do round-offs and handsprings, and they can do flips from backbends. All completely free of instruction. Now, it's sign language. And origami.

I look at them, and truly, I am lost in amazement. Where did they come from, these independent and self-sufficient and confident beings, and how did they learn to be like this. I told them how inspiring they are to me. If they can teach themselves how to do sign language, and they are only 11 years old, certainly at my advanced age, I can learn French.

Last week, impatient to get going with the French study, I started listening to Coffee Break French podcasts on my walks. And you know, I really don't care if people look at me funny (and they do) when I am walking and repeating: Bonjour, Comment vous appelez-vous ? Je m'appelle Leslie, Bonne nuit, and so on.