I have admiration and endless love for libraries. In fact, I can not remember a time in which they were not one of my favorite places to be. One of the places I remember best from my childhood is the Manchester library. I can remember the free feeling of running with my sisters down the giant staircase with its cold stone steps. I remember the sound of the echos that bounced off the walls as our feet hit each step and our young voices, filled with joy, that sounded so loud in such a quiet space. As a child, it was the most beautiful building I had ever been to. Everything seemed larger than life; high ceilings, giant doors, archways, pillars and endless shelves of books. The building itself gave me a butterfly feeling in my stomach. My sisters, mom and I would search through the wooden card catalog for anything that came into our mind...dinosaurs, monkeys, elephants, and the list goes on. Nearly always I would search for something that had to do with an animal and then we would quickly be off to find the book that matched that week's interests. Mom would let me take out giant piles of books and records until my arms could hold no more. As if all that was not enough, I had a magical card, with my name on the back, that let me get all the wonderful items I had found. There was no hearing "no", "that is too much", or even "do you think you will really read that?", whatever we wanted was ours to get. The librarian would stamp the card in the back pocket of each book so that I would know the due date and that was it, the only rule. I was handed over my loot and headed home to enjoy all I had found. In those moments I was rich, in a palace where everything was mine to be had.
Libraries can make anyone feel wealthy, surrounded in beauty and on an endless shopping spree. The joy that libraries bring has been never-ending for me. Our kiddos have grown up in libraries and love the feeling that whatever they want is theirs to be had. We never say no at a library and that is such a freeing feeling for both the parent and the child. Do you want to try a book about ukuleles? Sure, why not. Do you think you might be interested in Star Wars cookbook? Let's try it! A new dinosaur book that might have one hidden fact you have yet to learn. Go for it! Libraries are for the word yes. They are to let yourself try anything with no fear that it might not be for you. Libraries don't judge when you realize ukeleles are not your thing or even mind if you take out the same book thirty times. Libraries let you learn in your most natural way, based on interest and letting you change your mind. Libraries give us the privilege to try it all, to learn, to reconsider, to go back and all while being surrounded by abundance and beauty.
