An old friend/Father's Day

Several Saturdays ago Jaydon and I headed to the closest branch of the local library.  I needed to do some research for a paper.  I've been in and out of the library in the last few years with him to pick up books, and always look longingly at the adult side of the library knowing that I do not have time to read.  But on this trip I rediscovered an old friend, the library.

I've always loved going to the library.  I love to read and I love books.  When you open the cover of a book there is another world waiting inside the book, and that world will go with you after you close the book.  As I did my research I realized how long it had been since I had really been in a library and immersed myself in the contents of the shelves.  Ah, old friend how I've missed you!

But I had another experience that morning that jarred my memory.  As we started through the library I noticed a man reading a newspaper.  Not an odd thing, after all it was Saturday morning at the library.  As I tracked down the information I needed I went around a corner of a bookshelf and saw a lady sitting in an easy chair reading a magazine.  A magazine.  And then I remembered my father...he went to the library to read newspapers and magazines.  We never subscribed to magazines (except for the Progressive Farmer and later on Southern Living).  We only subscribed to the local newspaper.  But my father was well read and went to the library to read magazines and newspapers.  He also went to the library to do research on various subjects (usually tax codes and legal issues).  I don't really remember him checking out and reading books, but I do remember newspapers and magazines.

As I thought about this (while still in the library) I started remembering all the libraries I've been in in my life.  The first library I remember was on Clark AFB, and guess who took me?  My father!  While I browsed in the children's section he read publications.  I know he took me to various libraries over the years. While I checked out books or did research for a paper he would occupy himself reading the current periodicals.  I remember in high school that he took me to a local university's library to do research.   Thank goodness he didn't realize that I didn't do any research because I was so fascinated with the library that I spent the time just exploring the library.  And I thought of the local library across from my parent's subdivision that my father frequented in his final years.  He knew the librarian very well, and even when he was very sick asked my sister to take him over to the library because he wanted to check with her about a publication he was watching for.

So on this Father's Day I wish all father's a good day and I remember all the good memories I have of trips to the library with my Father.