library card

Growing up, my mom frequently took my sisters and I to the library and during the summer months, the book mobile. There's nothing like stepping inside these quiet spaces filled with such knowledge and imagination. And the regularity of going, returning books and coming home with new words to read, was a wonderful rhythm and influence on my young mind.

I finally took the time (the mere minutes it took) yesterday to get a library card - something I've been wanting to do since I moved here, almost four years ago. In addition to the mental stimulation, there's nothing like holding a gently used book in one's hands and wondering about the other people whose hands have held it since it's existence in the library world. The importance of libraries in our lives and the support we give them is, I think, even more important into today's world than when I was a child. Not only does being a library cardholder promote/practice/encourage sustainable living, but it builds community all around, enriching lives.

Yes, it's hard to fathom the thousands and thousands of books, movies, publications and more, that are all available to us as library cardholders - it's even harder to believe that this rich resource is free of charge. But the reality is, it is available to us, if we choose to support and honor this tradition. I encourage you, if you don't have one already, to go to your community library and check out a book (or two or three) with your new card. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Happy reading!