What’s on Your Bookshelf?
By Marilyn Nutter
For a book-lover,
letting go of books is like saying goodbye to longtime friends. It’s a long
goodbye with extra time flipping through pages and reading a paragraph or two
or three … or a chapter as we sort. I knew the project wouldn’t take a few
minutes, but potentially hours.
I got to work, and as I
sorted books, I began a trip down memory lane. One pile of books brought
remembrances of women from Bible studies. My handwriting looked different then.
So did some of the application answers. The books I received as gifts, with
names of friends and the occasion written on the title page, put faces of the
givers front and center. Books varied. Some guided me in early motherhood, ministered
to me in grief, and were used for research and study. Sentences were underlined.
Notes and stars were written in margins.
I reminisced how the
fiction collection offered me hours of company and enjoyment. I laughed at
outdated covers and flinched at the copyright dates. That long ago, really?
Some books changed my
life direction. A few represented life seasons—raising children, employment,
tea parties, and hospitality. I noted how my tastes and focus had evolved
through the years. What began as a clean-up project began to look like pages of
my journal.
What about your
bookshelf? How does it speak to you? Do you see:
- Changes in interests and experiences?
- Growth in your relationship with the Lord?
- Hours of study for projects and classes?
- Catalysts for conversations that challenged you?
- Fiction and characters who became good friends, taking you to new places?
“When I look back, I am
so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature.” ―Maya Angelou.
Books enrich and
enlighten. We can travel without leaving home. They educate, potentially change
our thinking, encourage new pursuits, and challenge our priorities.
Read your bookshelf
today. Look at the spines. Stop and flip through a few pages. You may have a
lump in your throat and flashbacks to a time and place. And when you look at
the time spent perusing, you’ll see hours passed. Then it’s time for a prayer
of gratitude.
What did you find?
https://bookriot.com/book-lover-quotes/
Photo by Sonja Punz on Unsplash
Marilyn Nutter, of Greer, SC is the author of devotional books, a contributor to magazines, on-line sites, and compilations, and a freelance editor. She is a Bible teacher and speaker for women’s groups, a grief support facilitator, and serves with women’s ministries at her church. In her life’s seasons, she has met God’s faithfulness and clings to Lam. 3:22-23. She is the co-author with April White of the award winning Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart. Her book Hope for Widows: Reflections of Mourning, Living, and Change will be released in January 2024, by Our Daily Bread Publishing. Visit www.marilynnutter.com where you will find encouragement to weave hope and purpose into our life stories.
I love looking through the books on my bookshelves. Signed copies remind me of times when I meet authors. There are specific books that bring back precious memories. I love reading.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a sweet time on many levels, isn’t it?
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