Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Butterfly in the sky...I can fly twice as high...

I can remember walking in and being utterly amazed. Taking in the smells and the sites of one of my most treasured places. When I was younger it was an escape, a break away from the everyday norm. This place didn’t reject me, make fun of me, tell me I was stupid, or anything else I was used to. It was always welcoming and inviting, and the same could be said for the people who worked there as well. I would browse the aisles for hours, just taking it all in. My favorite place to go was the store in first colony mall outside of Missouri city. It was small but it served its purpose. My mom would go shopping and I would just sit and take it all in. Even in college when it was much more normal to be in a place like this I was at ease and always had a sense of peace when there.

What am I talking about?? A bookstore. Yes I know for those who know me my inner nerd came out, and for those who don’t I just dropped a couple of cool points, but I’m ok with that. I loved books when I was younger. I loved and consumed all that I could get my hands on. I remember knowing how to read before other kids and I also remember reading novels while most of my friends were still reading Bernstein bears. Bookstores and libraries have always been a huge sanctuary for me. It was more than a place to find information, more than a place to meet friends for projects and research papers, more than a place to use the internet. I realized early on that libraries and bookstores were filled with any and everything you want to know. How to fix things, how to win friends, fantasies, and biographies. I just felt like growing up that in a library I could absolutely be anyone I wanted to be. Only in a library through a book could someone go from geek to valiant prince, or from that smelly girl to the singing sensation. It was a place that held a lot of memories, both good and bad for me. Believe it or not the ONE AND ONLY TIME I ever stole something (that I will forever regret) it was a book.

SO how did all of this come up you may ask?? I was sitting talking with an old good friend at star bucks and he started talking about books and without even thinking it I started singing…Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high, just take a look, it’s in a book, a reading rainbow….I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT CAME UP, but I do remember it being one of my favorite shows for obvious reasons. And so through the nostalgia of Reading Rainbow, I remember my fortress of solitude and how it helped and hurt my social life at different point in my short-lived life. I remember being the kid who went to the library during lunch to play magic (dear God NOOOO!!!!) or the fact that I started reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Which coincidentally I finished the entire series two years ago. Although I am not proud of all of my library book time, I do realize that it was a significant part of my childhood and college life. Although life has progressed I still seem to be fascinated by bookstores and all the knowledge they hold. I am a huge fan of half price books in Dallas, and I don’t mind a library every once in a while just to escape from the rigors of everyday life. Am I weird for that?? Hell yes!!! But do I care?? Hell no!!!

SO go to your local library, sit down, get over yourself, and let go. Enjoy yourself and read a book. You’d be surprised what you learn, or who you can be.

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