From the Huffington Post 1/12/16:
Lost in the Stories
by Sara Lindberg
I must confess — I LOVE books. I love how they smell when you open them up for the first time. I love how they feel in my hands. I love how heavy the bag is when I leave the store with my treasures. I love seeing my children hold them.
There isn’t a room in my house that doesn’t have a stack of books piled high in a corner. I find them scattered on night stands, shoved in drawers, and stacked in bookcases.
I have spent the last couple of years living in the world of convenience. Ordering my books online. Reading reviews from readers I don’t even know. Hoping that the book I choose is actually one I will like.
I have forgotten what it feels like to walk into a quaint, cozy bookstore. The smell upon entering — I love that smell. It is a mixture of books and coffee. It is strong because the space is tight. The light that sneaks through the windows is just right for reading.
The noise — this is my favorite part. People talking over each other, discussions about favorite books, children laughing while lounging on the couch, a couple whispering in the corner, and the woman talking at the counter. She has a voice that is unforgettable and a smile that lights up a room.
I was not expecting to have such an overwhelming response to a scattering of books when I stepped into this store. After all, it is just a store with books. Books that I can purchase anywhere.
My daughter’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. She was over in the corner — her corner as she likes to call it. She loves this store. Often begging to come here anytime she wants a book. We don’t visit often, but when we do, it is something special for her. She sees this as far more than just a store that sells books. She sees it as an opportunity to get lost in the stories that live here.
As I made my way over to her little nook, I found myself looking at this bookstore through a different lens. I was immediately transfixed in a state of euphoria. Books stacked high on the shelves — horizontally and vertically. There is a system to this type of organization, I am sure of it. Maybe that is why I noticed it. I love this system. It reminds me of all of the rooms in my house. I felt like I was at home.
There is a sense of family, a sense of community here.
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