Bryan Rollins | Memphis Parent
Behind the Scenes - February 2017 Cover Shoot
February, the month of love, conjures up so many special memories for me. One in particular that I always recall this time of year is how my dad would bring my mom a big, heart-shaped box of chocolates and that he would also give my sister and me a little, yellow box of Whitman’s Sampler chocolates for Valentine’s Day.
Oh, how I loved that whole experience! My dad made me feel so special. The bar was set pretty high for any guy that followed, yet, my husband managed to meet and exceed those expectations. That’s why I think I may prepare a lovely Valentine’s dinner for him using the tasty recipe from What’s Cookin’ this month. It’s a sweet dish that takes into consideration someone who has nut allergies, which he doesn’t have, but anyone can enjoy this meal — from your sweetie to your little sweethearts.
Another type of love established at an early age, because my parents were avid readers, was my love for books and reading. I also had the best librarian in elementary school who would pull books that she thought I would like, and I would get lost in another world exploring the adventures of the characters. I discovered a lifelong fascination for words, their meaning, and what they convey. I knew I wanted to pass that along to my children. My husband shared the same perspective since his parents had made a career as children’s book authors. Fostering that love of reading with our daughter Bliss, who’s featured on the cover, and our three sons is why I knew what the cover story would be for this issue of Memphis Parent. Reading is essential for success in school, but the benefits of reading are immeasurable for a lifetime. The story details how educators at local and state levels are working to improve children’s reading skills and what you can do to help your child Fall In Love with Reading.
Finally, as I got older, I began to better understand brotherly love, being concerned about one’s neighbor, literally and figuratively. When we get to know each other better, that makes us all better people. The feature, Celebrate Black History, discusses how we can celebrate and show brotherly love through various art forms. Enjoy and Happy Parenting!