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Jul 9, 2007

"Even after all this time
The Sun never says to the Earth
"You owe me"
Look what happens
With a love like that
It lights
The Whole Sky" --Hafiz

The Importance of Bedtime Stories

A good story doesn't cost a penny, but it can be more memorable than a pricey toy. A ritual of sharing stories between a parent and child can create a bond that lingers for a lifetime, said Jay O'Callahan of Massachusetts, a nationally known storyteller who got his start telling made-up tales to his kids. "It's a real gift," he said. "The simplest, loveliest gift of time, attention and imagination." Children yearn for that kind of intimate connection with a parent, said O'Callahan, adding that a friend once told him of a night when her young son interrupted her while she was reading a storybook to him. "No," the boy told his mom insistently. "Read the one that's inside of you."