‘Tis the time to be pondering New Year’s Resolutions for the new decade.  So, of course, one of the wisest children’s books ever written popped into my mind.  I must confess it is also my very favorite picture book:  Miss Rumphius.  If you haven’t read it, add that to your list of things to do in 2010.  It won’t take but a few minutes.

In this splendid tale, the girl Alice (who will grow to be Miss Rumphius) wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and do three very important things with her life.  First, she wants to go to faraway places.  Second, she wants to live by the sea when she’s finished traveling.  And third, her grandfather tells her she must do something to make the world a more beautiful place.  I won’t spoil the story by telling you what she does, if you don’t already know.  It’s a simple gesture that transforms a small corner of the world into a more beautiful place.  However, it does take her most of her life for her to decide exactly what to do.

The story is lovely and hopeful and empowering.  So much so, that it has inspired a term that’s become popular in some educational circles:  the Miss Rumphius effect.  It’s also inspired the name of a blog on children’s literature and poetry, and you can even find a Miss Rumphius effect widget to put on your own website.  ;-)

Basically, the idea of the Miss Rumphius Effect is that one truly dedicated individual can envision a better world and then act on his or her vision to make it a reality.  The key is to pick something manageable and realistic that you know you can do, such as spreading a few flower seeds to make a whole town bloom.  We all want world peace and to solve the dilemma of global warming, but those tasks are far too daunting for one individual to carry.  If Greg Mortenson, the author of the bestselling and influential Three Cups of Tea, had set out to build tens of schools across Afghanistan and raise millions of dollars, his idea never would have gotten off the ground.  All he wanted to do was to build one school to show his gratitude to one village.  With luck and determination and a dash of naivete, he was able to do it.  His success inspired others, and his vision continues to build momentum and schools.  (Check out the list of his nearly sold-out appearance nationwide if you want a boost of hopeful for yourself.)

So here are my New Year’s resolutions:  I hope to go to a few faraway places (at least through novels).  I’m too young to settle down by the sea, but I do hope to walk some sun-kissed beaches.  And lastly, I’d absolutely love to vow that all the words that flow from my mouth and fingers this year will be beautiful ones, but that is, perhaps, a bit ambitious for a frequently stressed-out mom of three.

So I’m going to take a little time — four days, precisely — to ponder how I myself can make the world a more beautiful, more hopeful place in 2010.

What about you?  How will you beautify the world in 2010?

[Check out my website in early January if you want to know what I decided:  www.amybrecountwhite.com.]

About The Author

From ages 0 to 9, I moved every two or three years, which I like to think made me adaptable and open to new places, people, and ideas. We lived in San Francisco, Virginia Beach, Albuquerque, Lexington, K.Y., and Dayton, Ohio. The library was one of the first places we found anywhere we arrived. I’ve always found a home in books.  Read more about Amy Brecount White.

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