Who Was Leif Erikson? by Nico Medina

 Who Was ...? biography series for middle grade brings Leif Erikson who was the first European to explore the lands of North America. 

Leif Erikson was born in Iceland around the year 980 to a Viking family. When his father, Erik the Red, was banished from Iceland, he took his family to Greenland. After settling in Greenland, it became Leif’s dream to explore the unknown western lands. He reached today’s Canada’s Baffin Island. He reached North America 400 years before Columbus. The place they found livable, he named Vineland as they discovered grapes there. After returning to Greenland, he became the chieftain of Greenland for over twenty years. The settlement prospered under his rule. He died around 1025. 

Leif never returned to North America but others did, including his two brothers and sister Freydis.

This book doesn’t cover much of Leif’s story. I’m assuming there is little information about him. Nevertheless, he left a mark as a skilled sailor and brave leader. His voyage to North America motivated others to follow in his path.

This book is mostly about Vikings: their life, settlements, traditions, households. They were fierce warriors and sailors from Scandinavia who were brutal in their attacks and known for their tactics. But they also paid attention to the natural world around them, finding guidance in nature. They were also known for their skills in building ships.

Even though, this story doesn’t involve much about Leif Erikson, it is still a fascinating story about Vikings, and interestingly written.  

This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts. 

Published in 2018 by Penguin Workshop

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Explore the World Around You

 

Traits:

·         He was curious about unknown lands and wanted to explore them

·         His bravery motivated others to follow and explore the world around them

·         He was a good leader

·         Coming from Vikings who were skilled in ship building, he was a good sailor

·         He used his natural talent to make a difference

 

“The pain that we cause is the cause of our pain.” – Leif Erikson 

“We are all leaders – whether we want to be or not. There is always someone we are influencing – either leading them to good – or away from good.” – Leif Erikson

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

·         Openness – it helps us to find our path and listen to others without judgement

·         Practicing Vedanta – ancient philosophy about happiness

 

“Vedanta, one of the world’s most ancient philosophies, tells us that happiness for a reason is just another form of misery because the reason can be taken away from us at any time. To be happy for no reason is that happiness we want to experience.

Happiness is a state of consciousness that already exists within us, but it’s often covered up by all kinds of distractions. Just as a beautiful sunrise might be hidden behind the clouds, so, too, our inner happiness is hidden behind our everyday concerns. Social conditioning and constricted awareness keep us from glimpsing this kingdom of heaven hidden in the depths of our heart. But we can learn to rise above the clouds of conditioning and rediscover the source of joy deep within us. Upon discovering this joy, wonderful and miraculous things begin to happen. The expression of happiness brings a sense of connection to the creative power of the universe. Having that connection, we fill that nothing can stop us from accomplishing anything we desire.

When our life is an expression of the inner state of happiness, we discover an immense reservoir of power within us. This power gives us freedom from fear and limitations, and allows us to realize all the abundance that we aspire to. Even more significantly, this power nurtures all of our relationships and makes them truly fulfilling. We find ourselves becoming beacons of light and love, and our very presence nurtures the environment around us. People are drawn to support our desires, and even nature responds to our intentions.

The more we live in the state of happiness, the more we experience the spontaneous fulfillment of desire in the form of synchronicity and meaningful coincidence.”

-          Power, Freedom, and Grace: Living from the Source of Lasting by Deepak Chopra

If you’re not up for reading, then maybe listening:

There are many podcasters offering interviews with Deepak Chopra. One of them is by Jay Shetty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJoeh6itLUA