Karana:

We read Island of the Blue Dolphins together as part of the children's history lesson for homeschool. I cried my way through the tragic story of Karana, the Indian girl who is left behind, abandoned, by her people on a lone island for years & years. She must survive storms, wild dogs, the death of her little brother, utter loneliness, & even an earthquake. All on her own. But she is courageous, strong, determined, and so resourceful. Truly a girl to emulate. 

We were all inspired by her story.

She was found by a Catholic priest, and was brought to the Santa Barbara Mission. But tragically, she died only 6 weeks after being rescued from complications with disintery. Poor thing.

When we discovered that she is buried at the mission, we planned a trip to Santa Barbara to see her grave site.  

 

It was emotional for me to see her grave marker & to walk through the beautiful Catholic Mission. What a life of service those priests & nuns of mission days had. Their dedication to God & their pure resilience is awe-inspiring, and I felt a sense of reverence. We sat in the chapel and said a small prayer together. What a beautiful moment for our family, with the sun streaming in through the old doorway and the feeling of peace in that sacred place.

We have also read Nory Ryan's Song this school year. Another true story about a young girl, this one during the potato famine in Ireland. Holy smokes. The strength of the human spirit, and what it can endure is nothing short of amazing!