I’M JUST CURIOUS: Books: don’t look for a clean copy

by Debbie Walker

Sometimes I never know where or when one curiosity just moves right into another one. A couple of weeks ago I was writing about people being encouraged to speak out about their interesting experiences in life. I commented that so many people were brought up to “not toot their own horn” or “brag”.

My hope is that those who read this one won’t feel embarrassed to “Toot their own horns.” Sharing is great.

Then I remembered this little quote that follows: Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used-up totally worn out and loudly proclaiming “Wow, what a ride!” Okay now granted it was meant to be about people (my kind of people) however, what good is a book that has been printed and 40 years later still looks like new? Ya, ya, I know first editions, $$$. Still a waste!

If I pick up a used book and its pages are dog-eared or there are high light marks here and there, I’m not going to put it back looking for a cleaner copy. See this is where that curiosity thing of mine shows up.

The highlighted sentences or paragraphs make me wonder what kind of questions of life that may have answered for someone or did what was written give them the question to ask and what was it.

Dog-eared pages make me wonder what was it about this page that the person thought they might want to go back to or possibly they wanted to share that page with a friend or maybe they just got called away from their reading and just marked their spot!

Now that I think about it I have books at home that I have collected about my gazillion interests that aren’t dog-eared or highlighted yet. I absolutely love being a person of many interests but sometimes I get behind.

Anyway, dog-ear those pages, highlight things of interest, and leave behind a sign of your enthusiasm for what you and the author shared. (Except for in library books, they get really touchy about that sort of thing).

Do you have children you adore who live away from you, and you want to have a close relationship with, start buying two of the same book. You mail one to the child (they love receiving mail) and you keep one. You have so many ways for you and the child to enjoy the book and each other.

Of course, you can just read to the child. Depending on their level the child can tell you a story from looking at the pictures. You both can draw a picture of your favorite part of the story and show each other on a video chat on the phone.

Okay, enough of that. I did read something the other day that I want to share with as many people as I can so, please feel free to share this also. Shyanne sent this out to her friends in Facebook. The gist of it was not to use towels, blankets, etc., with the idea of keeping your critters warm. Use straw for their outside bedding. It keeps them dryer.

As usual, I’m just curious if you can get lost in a book too? And here’s hoping all our kids learn to love to read!

Please contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org. I love to hear from you.