By Leo Buscaglia
Price at Amazon.com: $10.74
Dr. Leo Buscaglia was known as the “hug doctor” and his book “Living, Loving, and Learning” reflects that title. It is a compilation of lectures delivered worldwide between 1970 and 1981.
When he published his first book “Love” he was amazed to find that there were no other books about loving. So he made it his life’s mission to teach others and to write about “love”.
I first read this book in college; it was the textbook for one of my teaching courses. I laughed and cried as I read his words. It changed me and made me want to be a better teacher and mother.
Even though this book is especially written for those that teach, what greater teachers are there than parents? His views on how to teach children will help improve any parent’s skills. It will also make you feel better about yourself.
In “Living, Loving, and Learning” Dr. Buscaglia teaches that each person is special saying that, “You are a special combination. Don’t ever believe that you have nothing to contribute. The world is an incredible unfulfilled tapestry, and only you can fill that space.”
He also reminds us that “Yesterday is a cancelled check, and tomorrow is just a promissory note. Only today is cash on hand”.
He teaches that we must build bridges not barriers if we are going to reach each other. As a parent I found this advice especially helpful.
Everything we do as a parent has an impact on our children because after all, “It’s teeny little things that make the difference. Small things, side, by side, by side.”
Buscaglia says that we have an obligation to become all we can be; that we can’t give what we don’t possess, therefore in order to give ourselves, we need to cultivate what we have to offer. As parents we constantly give of ourselves and this book reminds us to do everything with love.