Reading Changed My Life - Townsend Press

Reading Changed My Life! Three True Storiesfirst person who told me, ‘You are smart! You cando this!’ ” Even today, Daisy cannot speak withouttears about what that kind of encouragement meantto her. Her voice is hoarse with emotion as sheadds, “You tell a child she’s stupid and worthlessoften enough, she eventually believes you. She quitstrying. But Peggy—she made me believe maybethat wasn’t true.”Today, Daisy is in yet another phase of her life.Back surgery two years ago left her with metal rodsand screws in her backbone, and she is no longerable to do the physical work required of her atHoneywell. She has retired and spends much of hertime caring for her grandchildren, eight-year-oldTiffany and two-year-old Bradley. “My grandbabies,”she says, “are my number one priority.”Having had such a painful childhood herself, she isclearly determined that her grandchildren will growup differently. “Until I was a teenager, I didn’tknow that all daddies didn’t beat their kids,” she54