I nearly bought a book while browsing in Waterstones, one of the the only bookstores left in the UK with retail outlets. It's a rare day when in town that I do not seek out one of the company's stores. The founder of Waterstones wanted to provide a place where people would not only buy books, but would also feel welcome to stay in the store for as long as they cared to do. This practice was encouraged by scattering comfy chairs throughout the store. We were there to linger and could take our time in choosing our potential purchases; it's not just some whimsical romantic idea that we can let go of the gas pedal in our lives to lose ourselves in someone else's words. (Starbucks' founder convinced us to do the same with coffee). I have yet to become an owner of a e-reading device and when I do, I will most probably still love the paper copies: the feel of the pages in my hands as well as the weight of the book moving from right to left.
Part of why I love books and bookstores is they remind me of my dad. He loved reading and good writing and usually always bought books he wanted. He rarely thought about going to the library and checking out something he would likely only read one time. Perhaps it was a throw back to his childhood days when the library was a treasure house of imagination and discovery and now as a grown up, he could put away those things of childhood. One of his dreams was to have a room lined with bookshelves where every book in the house was in one easily accessible place. That didn't happen.
Before I moved across the ocean I had shelves lined with books on many subjects: novels, historical, informational, musical and theological. Most of them have long since found new homes having been discarded as unnecessary baggage. That's what comes when one moves over 15 times in 9 years. To nuance a popular phrase, I am learning the art of living lightly; living with less and therefore buying less. I am grateful that Waterstones allows me to dawdle in their stores and make good use of their comfy chairs - and good coffee shop - to check out the latest good writing and writers.
Living lightly at this time in my life is only possible because I have realized I need far less than my buying capacity can potentially fund. If I have been able to give away so many of my belongings or live without those which I stored, I don't need most of what I can buy. I have the choice, that's for sure, but I am far more aware that a more careful and thoughtful re-routing of my resources will mean greater freedom for future purposes; and I am not just talking about books.
