I Went to the Liberry

I have come full circle, people.

When we moved I was forced to put an extraordinary amount of physical effort and decision making into getting rid of my books. They went to Goodwill, and to the swap shop at the local dump.

I shed myself of at least 200 books. At least. It was probably a lot more than that, but if I put a bigger number out there you will accuse me of lying.

It was heartbreaking.

I had to adapt. I cannot afford to accumulate books in the new house like I used to. Because of room considerations, and because I never want to go through that again. Ever.

So I reconciled myself to reading on my tablet. Which is OK, I can deal with it. It is convenient and I can download books at the speed of light.

Keith visited to check out the new house recently. Talking about books and he suggested that I get me a library card. And BOOM my brain was there. I never would have arrived at that solution on my own because I had developed a deep-seated avoidance of libraries. I had to own my books. But suddenly the library made sense.

Carol and I got cards the next day. And I am in love. Holding hardcover books in my hands again sends tremors throughout my nervous system. Joy. And browsing through the library is devine.

So now I have a hybrid system. Library books, and the tablet when I want it. Fucking perfect.

I want to know the date of my first visit to a library, because that's where I got my start. But it is impossible to know. I would also like to know the last time I visited a library before moving here. A long, long, time ago. I want to trace the arc of this love, to make sense of where I ended up - amazing how we adapt as human beings. Surprising how joy can come from a corner of your life that you have avoided for decades.

The library laid the seeds of my addiction and fed my jones beautifully until................I don't know when. But it is at the root of who I am. So I have come full circle.

And I am OK with it. In fact I love the whole process. Visiting the library and shooting the shit with the librarians - which is in keeping with the new social me - browsing through the stacks - checking out a book - hitting the recliner with a hardcover book to protect me - returning that puppy and beginning the process all over again. Sublime.

AND I absolutely needed a Willie Nelson book recently that I just became aware of so, BLAMMO, I downloaded that beauty to my tablet, where it lurks, waiting to gratify me.

Best of both worlds, baby.

Christ, man - it just keeps getting better and better.