Erudite Mothers: Weaving Knowledge and Community through Well-Read Mom
Written by Toni Hamilton
I stared at the definition of a word I had never seen before—one that I had received as feedback from a challenging professor on a final essay in one of my college literature courses.
Erudite
er·u·dite
/ˈer(y)əˌdīt/
adjective
having or showing great knowledge or learning.
Synonym: …well-read…
I remembered writing that difficult paper. All my course books were strewn around me on my bed, with my notes scribbled in the margins and post-it notes flagging my reference pages as I made connections across them to build my argument. I felt I had truly earned that feedback and was proud of myself.
Life looks different than those college days. I am surrounded by piles of laundry and a napping baby on my bed. He is our sixth child, and he turned one last weekend.
I first learned about Well-Read Mom after our family moved from Florida to Georgia, and I was looking to meet new people. A dear friend invited me to join her evening group. The structure and rigor of the book selections fed my love for literature. Unfortunately, evening book club meetings were not sustainable for our growing family. I tried reading on my own, but it wasn’t the same. If I wanted a book club that fit my family’s needs, I would need to start my own chapter.
So I did.
My group meets in the mornings. We have coffee… lots of coffee.
Most of us homeschool, so our group is very kid-friendly. Marcie’s soothing voice requires amplification due to the noise of babies babbling and kids running around. During the first few years, I frequently reminded my fellow members, “Rule number 1 of book club is don’t apologize for not reading the book!” Because honestly, how can any pregnant mother expect to endure Dante’s Inferno near Halloween? Not me.
This year has been different for our group. It’s taken on a life of its own, tripling in size. We are blessed with multiple generations of moms. Some are grandmothers, some have infants, and some have adult and young children.
When I read, I form strong opinions and have visceral reactions to some of these works—looking at you, Dracula—and I love it. I love seeking deeper meanings in literature. Looking at an author’s personal life and finding reflections of it in their written work is thrilling for me. Let me tell you, though, my book-hungry self has nothing on these women. The stories, the comments, and the quotes that these wonderful mothers of all stages of life have to share are such a joy to my heart!
Practice in the Presence of God was a favorite among us. It led to many women sharing where they have experienced God’s presence: finding a lake as still as glass reflecting the neighboring mountains in Oregon; driving through the North Georgia Mountains in autumn with its rich gold, fiery orange, and deep red leaves; feeling the strength of a lightning strike nearby; and most moving of all, knowing God is holding you in the midst of losing a child.
I read Four Quartets three times, just allowing myself to enjoy the literal meanings of his words, their rhythm, and the imagery of the sea.
When we met, the women all admitted struggling with this poem. Yet, as we went through the questions, their comments painted a brighter stroke on Eliot’s work, making his artwork clearer for me. They would share a quote and describe its theme of detachment and attachment; another quote revealed what they had experienced of the juxtaposition of pain, loss, and joy; another quote highlighted age combined with experience and looking back on life from the perspective of now.
This evening, it hit me.
We, dear readers, are participating in our own little “Shining Barrier” through Well-Read Mom. The golden threads shared between each member illuminate the hidden beauty and hope buried in these classic works. Experiences shared verbally among us are building a tapestry of God’s light working in our lives.
We are erudite. We are well-read.
About Toni Hamilton
Toni lives in Georgia with her family of six children, a dog, two cats, and chickens. She received a BA in English from Franciscan and a MA in Teaching English from Kennesaw State University. She homeschools and consults for Mother of Divine Grace.
About Well-Read Mom
In Well-Read Mom, women read more and read well. Our hope is to deepen the awareness of meaning hidden in each woman’s daily life, elevate the cultural conversation, and revitalize reading literature from books. If you would like to have us help you select worthy reading material, we invite you to join and read along with us. We are better together! For information on how to start or join a Well-Read Mom group visit our website wellreadmom.com
