Books, Books, and More Books

by Cee Jay, Aug 5, 2007
A lighthearted look at our books, and why we refuse to part with them.
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I am here today, cleaning off my book shelf. It's very tall, and very full of books. When I left Chicago, to come out west to follow my dream, I couldn't bring everything with me. I was forced to leave some of my dear books. I like non-fiction books. I want to know how to do everything. cook , needlework, gardening. I want to do it all. I thought it would be practically impossible to replace all my books. Then I met the internet .
Hello! Books for sale! I found the old books, and I found new books . I found books I didn't even know I wanted. When I decided to clean the shelves, I decided to put what i would keep, on the left side. To go, on the right side. So far, the only things on the right side are some old magazines, and a few, long outdated catalogs.
The stack on the left is about four feet high, and I'm not even finished with this one shelf. Why is it so hard to part with the old books? I noticed when I wanted a recipe foe zucchini bread, I had various recipes for it in at least six different books. So, I should be able to pare down, right? I can't do it. I can't part with any of my books, anymore than I can part with my firstborn. Why do we love our books so much?. I think somewhere down the line, you realize that books are knowledge, and knowledge is wealth.
If not the gold kind, then at least the wisdom kind . Books are valuable. Books tell you things, guide you through life, inspire you. they can even save your life, if it's vital information. People in other countries, can probably tell you better than I can, about the value of books. With knowledge gained, and things learned, lives are changed there, and here also.
Knowledge contained in books, can lift you up, can elevate the spirits, , and give you a better, happier, more productive life. Books are good! I know this. Is that why I can't get rid of any of them , Even though space is getting tight here?
I wish I could convey this to my grandchildren. In this age of computers, I Pods , blackberries, cell phones, books are considered less important. "old fashioned". Maybe there is some hope though. I have a little book , I always read to my two year old granddaughter, I read it, then she says "again, again!", Ok, then I read it again, and again , until I just can't do it any more. So last week, she picked it up, and started "reading" it ! Apparently, she memorized a good part of it .
"I love to read gramma," she said. " I love books." Now those are words, that belong in a book!