from Peaches - a guest Mim memory du jour!!

Great Sunday morning read!  Marianne (Peaches) Dunlap Sansom wrote a wonderful posting I had to share asap - wonderful way to start any day.    My thanks to Peaches (Marianne) for the wondrous share. 


Dear Deev, 

I have many fond memories of Mim at the club. How did a group a girls become so blessed and fortunate? We got to do all kinds of fun things. Once your Mom taught us to make peanut butter filled chocolate Easter eggs! Yum. Every meeting was different. We even took a field trip to Kinky-kill. 

Mim made up some initiation requirements before we could be true members. One requirement was to recite the Preamble to the Constitution. We all did this, of course. I never asked her why she obliged us to learn this.  Yet, as a teacher I often marvel that I have this unique part of our country’s history waiting in my brain to be recalled at any moment. I have used it in various ways to enhance teaching and learning. One group of Limited English speakers used it to make a video. They acted out each part. They “formed a more perfect union” by assembling a cardboard puzzle of the states in fast motion. Of course the Preamble is valuable in social studies classes, and always proves to be a spring board for open-ended inquiry.  It also serves as an inspiration for excellent writing. It is one long, well composed sentence. I reach into my personal hard drive when I want to review the founding fathers’ words. And every time I replay the Preamble, I think affectionately of Mim!

Young teens who find friends and confidants are born under a lucky star. Mim was our very special mentor.  Her club enhanced the bonds of our friendships. She encouraged us to think, care, maintain values, be creative, build community, and have fun. 

Here is something to think about for the Mim Moment of the day:

We the people of the United States, 

in Order to form a more perfect Union, 

establish Justice, 

insure domestic Tranquility, 

provide for the common defense, 

promote the general Welfare, 

and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, 

do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

With love, 

Peaches

P.S. It is kind of cool that in the late 1700s Americans played free and easy with the use of capital letters. Americans still do, and it drives my British friends in the International Baccalaureate crazy.