The Peace in a story told.
Books...how I have come to love and appreciate books...all of the travels, era's, and fantasy's that they have taken me to and on...of the many many happy and at some times, sorrowful emotions that these things made of paper and glue, have invoked...from the throwing of one that I am engrossed in, across my living-room, or when I came to the part that made me want to scream ever so loudly, or to the one where it had my salty tears cascading down to a puddle on my shirt, with heaving shoulders quaking because, I couldn't reach "in" and console the character there...it's also for the education I received on each of these pages, irregardless of wanting to learn any of it...unseemingly, it seeped into my once dead and forgotten brain celled mind...
I grew up with not allot, material-wise...any of the extras that all my other friends received like dance or such, was hard to come by...in fact, poor it was for us...in so much so that, we couldn't even afford the "r" in p-o-o-r...yet it is honest when I state that, my parents never made it seem that way at all to either my sister or I...we had what we had and it was always enough because, they gave it to us from their hearts...my Mom especially...there was no new coat for her come winter, nor new shoes for spring...she did her own hair and grew her own veggies...my Mom always put my sister and I first...when it came to our birthdays and Christmas's though, I remember coloring books and crayons (my favorite of favorites!!), Barbie's, boardgames, jump ropes...yet for books, they were never really apart of any gift from family or Santa...even my self pursuit of wanting any to read...
I do remember once I was in high school, there was the required reading lists...Lord of the Flies, The works of Edgar-Allen Poe, Shakespear, and others too lengthy to list...in Junior year, I recall a friend that was reading The Hobbit and I asked him about it and he had me so enthralled with it, I asked if he would allow me to borrow it...I then learned a whole new world of excitement!...I read with vigor and vim...yet, as in teenage years, soon other things became more important to my relaxing in life and books didn't fill in any void...
Once married and with the arrival of our two amazing boys, JT and T became ravenous readers...when they were much younger, we would take trips to the library every two weeks and they would check out 15 to 20 books each time...even my sweetie J had an incurable appetite for reading...J's all stemming from his Father and Mother and their true passion for books...to this day, my J carries in his wallet, a list of his favorite Authors and each town or city that we may happen to be visiting or passing through, we check to see if any of the "local" bookstores, if they have any of the one's that are on his list...these are the one's that he knows are out of print or are soon coming to paperback...my J has also mastered being able to read two books at one time...amazing!
For each new book I am to read for my beloved book club and/or for the one that I had discovered on my own, you will usually find me, with weather permitting, out on my back patio...comfortably sitting with a just brewed mug of java close to my lips and my two crazy dogs, chasing one another in circles of play in front of me...I relax in this perfect spot and eagerly delve into the books pages, while my fingers stroke the texture of it's shape...I nestle deeper down in the comfort that surrounds me...my eyes are glistening with anticipation...eventually coming to rest to the ended story of it's last page turned...I usually sigh at this point in peace and of learned thought...though, I have been known to throw and scream about the story that has just been told!
Still, I so very much so owe it all to my dearest, amazing, wonderful, thought-inspiring, beautiful, strong of heart, patience of Jobe, loving faces that I look towards for guidance and fellowship, book club girls...all 12 of these women, has created me to love the act of curling up in such a spot and discovering the story...the good or bad of it...when we have our get togethers, I have come to know portions of who they are each time spent with them...it is absolute joy for me!...and all through books...isn't that amazing?...and oh my goodness these girls are so smart!...they have insights that astound me at times...they always can see the "other" side on the penny...I just love being with them and who they are to me...
I love reading because of them...and yes, some books may not have been of my taste but, my opening to other's concepts and tribulations, have broaden my views of my world...and because of these women I call girlfriends and sweetness to my silent soul, I thank each of them with all my heart...to your intelligence in suggestion, for the travels you have taken me on, and especially for the love of you personally in friendship and family...
Books...they're a good thing.
