Maguire is plowing through the Chronicles of Narnia. Which means I get to too. I have no idea how many times I’ve read C.S. Lewis’ charming, multi-layered tales of the magical world of Narnia, but each time I do, I am awed by his creativity and how he uses allegory to hammer home some of the most beautiful elements of faith. I’m also always a bit tempted to bang on the back of my wardrobe again, ‘cause you never know. Maguire is currently reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is packed with ship voyages, sword fights, lost knights and dragons. It is also a tale of repentance, of seeing things through fresh eyes, and of trust. Maguire’s favorite character in the Narnia stories is Edmund. Which surprised me. At first. If you recall from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund is the traitor. He is selfish and snotty. I don’t ever like to admit it, but on my bad days there’s a bit of Edmund in me too. But Edmund is also the one who Aslan forgives. Who is redeemed. Just like what Jesus did for me, and for you. Actually, I do want to be like Edmund in that sense. And after being forgiven, Edmund goes on to be quite braver than anyone thinks he’s capable of, and much more sensitive to others’ needs, a better listener, loyal to the end, because that’s what Christ’s forgiveness does. And I definitely long to be like that. Chatting with Maguire about his thoughts and ideas on Narnia, give me a fresh insight into Lewis’ works, and a new appreciation for Edmund, and for my son.

Maddie’s summer reading assignments for high school this year were, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I get excited when she gets assigned the classics, because I love them. Because they resonate with me. Because they are what instilled in me the love of language and storytelling. I read both of these books as English assignments somewhere along the way, but now I’m excited to read them all over again, especially To Kill a Mockingbird. Did you know Harper Lee was a close friend with Truman Capote? Did you know that despite this being one of the best selling books of all time, a Pulitzer Prize winner, translated in over forty languages, this is her only novel? The story of Scout, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch has always stuck with me. It is, a story of respecting others, no matter who they are, or where they come from, or what you think they may or may not have done. Sounds like something we could all apply a little more to our lives. No wonder this one is a classic.