Of Books and Youthful Expeditions.

Today, I went to the library.
Libraries are a beautiful thing. They make me kind of giddy.
Ever since I was a wee babe, the library has been a good thing.

But especially, exploring libraries is a good thing.

When we were little, my brother, my mother, and I went on escapades through the Hoover Library. I still remember my first time downstairs in that place. We were on our way to the library theater. I remember peering around the corner, overjoyed to see that there was a whole other green-carpeted library world hidden beneath the first level's bookshelved floors. We always spent our summers going to library science shows and listening to books on tape. And that day was the beginning of many happy memories in the annals of the Hoover Library.
When we got older, Logan started doing research projects. As it turns out, libraries do not always have all the researches you need. So, we trekked the long three miles down 31 to the Vestavia Hills Library, named after Richard Scrushy at the time. (At this point in time I thought that this new library was practically in another state.) We took the elevator to the third floor, and Momma and Logan started searching for books on flying squirrels. But, to young me, flying squirrels weren't quite so exciting as they sounded. So I wandered. And I found miracles. Books. That antiquated little home library held mysteries that even smelled reverent. In the end, I found myself in the adult section holding some book I could hardly lift about presidents or something like that. They are killing that place soon.
There have been other libraries, the Birmingham Library where I gained a rational fear of escalators, the education library at the University of Alabama, full of oversized children's books. Libraries have never let me down.

And today. I took an excursion to the Lila D. Bunch Library at Belmont, and let me tell you, I felt like a movie.
It's not an imposing library, actually. Indeed, it's nothing compared to the University of Kentucky library. But that is what made it so lovely.
This library is old and has perfect comfy chairs that my feet reach the floor in. It smells like library, and there's that library feel in the air.
So I sat. And read my homework.
But after a while I couldn't resist. The library pulled me away.
I slipped off my shoes, straightened my cozy green dress, and dashed off into the aisles of wonderland.
And sure enough, wonders I never imagined awaited.
An entire wall of books, each titled "Life" with a different year emblazoned on every spine. I plan to investigate those guys one of these days.
I skipped up the stairs and found the music section, the children's section. I found a mural of books painted on a wall.
I felt invigorated. I was seven years old again.
However, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People still sat in my chair, lecturing silently from floors away that it was time to return to my homework. And slowly, unwillingly, I peeled myself away from the exploratory wonders and finished my arduous homework.
I think that The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People should include library exploring. I feel more effective today than I did yesterday.

Regardless,
Thank you, Lila D., you've treated me well.