One of my greatest pleasures as a mom was reading to my daughter. Since she was our one and only, I read to her until we got into the classics. Each book was an adventure of imagination that we shared together. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Having said that, I do regret that Nancy Tillman’s exquisite You’re here for a reason, wasn’t published until 2015. So we missed reading this one.

Although the book is designed for children, like the best of children’s literature, its message will strike a deep chord in any adult’s heart. The book is utterly imago dei. It affirms the deep God-given meaning of our lives and the ripple effect of our actions in the lives of others beyond what we will ever know.

You’re here for a reason, you certainly are.
The world would be different without you by far.

If not for your hands and your eyes and your feet,
the world, like a puzzle, would be incomplete.

Even the smallest of things that you do
blossom and multiply far beyond you.

A kindness, for instance, may triple for days . . .
or set things in motion in different ways.

What child or adult doesn’t need to hear that?

Tillman’s stated goal “has always been to give parents words to say what they feel about their children.” I’d say she succeeded with this one. Her artwork is breathtaking and her poetry profound.

My daughter now has two little ezers of her own, so she’ll be reading this book with them and no doubt absorbing the message for herself—just like I do each time I read it.

This book is a treasure for children and a never-too-late good word for grown-ups.

You’re here for a reason. It’s totally true.
You’re part of a world that is counting on you.