The World in a Book Store

These days I've been finding myself at Barnes and Noble A LOT! No, this is not a paid advertisement for the place nor is it even a voluntary one. I just like the smell of new books and the quiet atmosphere, as well as occasional wafts of coffee; in fact, I prefer it a lot more over Starbucks.

So I'm here again and really not able to concentrate on my research paper that I've been working on for the past 2 days.... And as is most likely to happen, my eyes started to wander. They finally found these two women - friends or family, who knows - laughing hysterically. One was laughing so hard she was wiping her eyes with a tissue. And it brought a smile to my face as I thought about how just last night I was doing the same thing with a friend on our way out of the store to go home. She was sharing this funny book with me, so we lingered at a table browsing through this book; and of course subsequently, we started laughing.

And as I watch these two women flip through books together and individually, I think about the world that exists in a book store. It contains so much for all different kinds of people in different walks of life. Want to travel to Chile? Come and find a travel guide. Want to explore the ocean depths? Come here and explore without getting wet. Want to know how to make your garden grow? Discover your own green thumb here. Want to see the latest celebrity fashions? Come and browse the magazines. Want to know what Abraham Lincoln faced during his presidency? Come and read the historical biographies. Want to escape to Narnia, or Tolkien's Middle Earth? Come to the book store and let your mind escape.

There is so much in a book store that enlightens our imaginations, entices us to try something, encourages us to seek what we find, and just allows us to enjoy the little or long time we spend here. It's the next best thing to actually going out into the world to do these things. The world in a book store surely is something else. And I absolutely enjoy being here. It's the next best thing to being outdoors on a gorgeous day. :)

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