3) Maya (From) Affine Tree Poem by Otradom Pelogo

And as I said, Maya was just three and of course somewhat shy after meeting me for the first time as I sat there talking to her, trying to find out what's inside of the mind of a young fragile three year old as she just sat there and smiled. But by eight, she was much more energetic and talkative, and finding myself on several occasions having her sit there on side of me on the couch like I would with Capt. when he was her age, trying to read a story to her or see where her future interests lie. And hoping as she and her little sister as they are nurtured by two families; her Mom's, while being somewhat adopted by my youngest sister and spending as much time there until their mother would return from home, thousands of miles away.

Providence seems to have peculiar ways of having people meet; she going through transition and growing up only years away from adolescence; hopefully with the right adult guidance, and myself going through the forty-something thing and the major burnout that goes along with it, had us there on the couch one day, with little to do and of little to want to do but for a few moments just lie there; and as I could see her only about five or ten feet away on the other couch, and knowing that I promised myself, even on the days that I couldn't talk to them for many, many reasons, that I would always try to do something constructive while they were in my presence; and thus, only after seconds of lying there with my eyes halfway opened; I opened them all of the way; grabbed one of the many books that I usually fall asleep with or the intentions of falling asleep with and began to read aloud Towards A New Paradigm In Monetary Economics…

Shortly after that, I was in one of the book stores and ironically had met the same sales lady who sold me the book, even more ironically enough she said that she was a certified math teacher as she also explained while I debated on which book to buy, that she would have chosen the one with more problems / examples than words / explanations, the one that I had initially chosen; the motif; number for her, letters for me…. And I amusingly enough tried to explain to her that after reading Towards a New Paradigm In Monetary Economics that I should buy one of the two math books which I was now holding in my hands to try and understand what was said; the books: either Idiots or Dummies Guide to Algebra…

And again, as with Maya's older brother Gary and little sister, Aliyah, hoping that it will somewhat subconsciously impress upon their growing minds, even as much as in the future, for I didn't become an avid reader until much older, putting the pieces together as I became wiser, finding just as valuable a hobby and learning tool as much to a thirty year old as to those Gary, Aliyah and Maya's age.