I read a 400-page book in Russian in one day (yesterday). And it was a busy day. It’s a pity there’s little I want to read in Russian, or I’d be very well-read at this speed.

These days, when Klara gets into a funk, she starts writing letters to me and her father, detailing her emotional states. Eventually, she always alights at a solution of what would make her feel better. It can be a hug, or going to the park, or feeding her imaginary ladybug pet. Sometimes, writing out what she feels helps her realize that she’s cranky because she’s hungry, thirsty, or tired.

I didn’t teach her this. She figured out completely on her own that writing can help you feel better. And that you can trace emotions to their source to deal with them.

The capacities of the human brain are amazing.