Books

I have always been a book nut.  I don’t remember learning to read, but I do remember the thrill of visits to the library in elementary school.  I was the kid you’d catch walking down the aisle of the school bus reading, totally engrossed in whatever story had me captured for the day.  Though there have been seasons of my life when reading wasn’t just for fun (hello law school), I have always loved it.  In books, I have been challenged, comforted and tangled into the stories of a thousand different characters.  Books have been my teachers, my escape and a connecting force.  In recent years, I’ve collected more books than any other season.  I love to write in books, I’ve learned the value of owning children’s books I can sanely read over and over and I wholey reject minimalism only in regards to books.  Our house is constantly littered with them, some in stacks, some in bins, usually some splayed out on the floor, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the last decade, I have discovered the beauty of the book club.  As friends, books, and snacks are some of my very favorite things, the combination of all three has been a consistent joy in my life.  One book club was full of whip-smart women who left law reading behind for everything from obscure westerns to Malcolm Gladwell.  While I didn’t actually dive into some of the most high-brow intellectual selections, I loved how each meeting was a mini-reunion.  The next book club was a dream full of international opinions, free access to books and a built in parenting-support component.  Also fairly described as a wine club, it was often the high social point of my month and every meeting was filled with laughter, great questions, and the sharing of ideas (sometimes based on the book and sometimes just on our life experiences).  Now, I’m part of a book club that is digging into classics that are heavier than anything I’ve tackled before (I’m currnely reading Middlemarch which I had never heard of before) and because of the leadership and engagement, it has been awesome.  My brain and my faith are stretching, which is such an unexpected book club benefit.  To me, these hours discussing books while pouring into friendships are a luxury I’m so grateful for.

And isn’t it amazing that we now have access to more books than we can even imagine?  I recognize the privilege of being able to borrow and buy books and I don’t take this for granted.  In Santiago our local library’s entire children section was smaller than our neighborhood library’s Spanish section for kids.  A trip to the library is a delight and I am actively encouraging Rayna to consider a career that would allow her to work there.  Here in Newberg, the librarians are very cool; they are the local celebrities I’d most like to invite to brunch.

Reading can be so many things: an adventure, a lesson, an inspiration.  A friend once said she was most proud of the fact that her sons loved books.  I get that.  When my daughters want to take books to bed, or snuggle into a lap, or bring 24 home from the library, my heart can’t help but fill up with joy.  The most magical things is that books can inspire curiosity and a love of learning that lasts forever.  As I continue my reading journey, I’m genuinely excited for all there is to learn and encounter.  Love!!!