Can you believe someone was going to throw away all these lovely books?
He sat by me while I went through the box, and listened to me comment on each book. Completely patient until I neared the bottom of the box, when with tired eyes he looked at the neat piles of books I had made all over the bed as I categorized and organized them, and said, "I can't lay down."
To which I replied, "But you have a bed full of books."
This seemed simple enough to me. Because having a bed full of books is much more wonderful than having a bed to lay down on, right? Even if you have been working hard all day cutting trees and are exhausted?
Inside a box of used books, you can find pieces of people's lives.
Not just the lives of the characters inside the books, but the lives of the former book owners.
A bookmark with a funny note demanding someone read the book before seeing the film.
An old receipt.
A to-do list with fascinating items like:
- Try to program watch.
- Abnormal Psychology Class.
- Organize either jewelry or paperwork.
- Mattress.
- Call Naropa Anne Marie (complete with a phone number - is it weird that now I want to call Naropa?)
- Library.
- Make poster board for Jeopardy.
- Blue ribbon.
- Pro/Con list of 13 or 14.
- Find a dessert.
- Get crafting.
A take-out menu.
And then, in Living Abroad in Nicaragua, I found an old love note:
My Love...
Because breakfast before ice cream is a sign of maturity!
(is this true? if so, I would like to skip maturity, and breakfast,
and have a bowl of ice cream)
I cannot employ the right words for the moment, but I felt that you should know how loved and cherished you are.
Your love and beauty amazes me each and every day. Your heart never ceases to beat pure and radiant joy.
Your beauty constantly overpours from your perfect vessel.
Your kisses like nectar, bind and hold my heart.
Your words are my refuge.
I know difficulties will arise, and your sense of self challenged. But you are my rock in this vastness. You are my spiritual partner.
You may slip, roll, fall, tumble, or be still, but you will not be alone.
With all my heart, let these flowers be an impermanent jesture of ceaseless unbound and unconditional love.
The biggest hugs of love
♥ Nihicolsass
Suddenly, Nicaragua seems a very romantic place to me.
I might read that book first.
Do you leave small pieces of your life behind in books when you reach for something to use as a bookmark?
Can you send me Out to Canaan when you're done with it? Also...AWESOME find!
ReplyDeleteOooh! I can try - Katarina has already claimed it as her own.
DeleteThat love note just made me all misty eyed! I love finding notes in books. On one hand, I hate writing in books. But then you find something sweet like that and it's suddenly okay. Great find! Don't ever lose that book!
ReplyDeleteWriting in books is a big no-no in my world. But this was sweet.
DeleteWhat a wonderful reason to go to Nicaragua. Can I go with you? Also, books=awesomeness, even if they take over the bed!
ReplyDeleteCome on! We can make it an unofficial band trip!
DeleteWho needs a bed when you have books.
I love finding stuff like that, which might be why I never leave anything in my books!
ReplyDeleteHa! I know. I don't leave things in mine very often either.
DeleteWell, I don't leave anything intentionally, but fhat does sound fun :) What wonderful finds! This is a perfect post.
ReplyDeleteThanks! =)
DeleteWell i don't leave anything intentionally, but after this wonderful post I might be inspired!:)
ReplyDeleteYes! Just think how much fun it would be if you were to leave a note or something in a book that is going to be donated or sold to a second hand bookstore. I kind of love that idea!
DeleteI love that you rescued books! I always rescue them from the thrift store and love to look through them. I once found a love note written in the front of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun! That is the kind of book that should have a love note in it.
DeleteI can't believe someone was going to throw all those books away! I've never found any love notes in books but it doesn't stop me from looking.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that crazy? I can't imagine doing that.
DeleteIf you ever find one, you will have to blog about it!
That couple with the romantic words, 10-1 says they are no longer together. Anyone who writes: "With all my heart, let these flowers be an impermanent jesture of ceaseless unbound and unconditional love" and spells "gesture" wrong is clearly up to no good....sorry, I've been married for 10 years, and my husband is downstairs snoring on the couch. I'm a teensy bit jaded :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad for your book find though!
That spelling situation did drive me crazy.
DeleteHey - I hit 10 years last month!
I would love an old crate full of books.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful thing. Maybe your husband will find one for you this week. Tell him to be on the look-out.
DeleteOh my goodness, how beautiful that note was. What a find! Even with the spelling errors and the mystery of if the couple is still together, it's a piece of anthropology telling of how important books are to our culture.
ReplyDeleteThat is freaking awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a teenager I used to write a little blurb in the front of books I read. I used to get a lot of used books and then trade them in for more when I was done reading them. I figured my little tidbit might just seem a bit magical to the next reader. It was fun!
I LOVE that idea so much! I would have loved to come upon one of your little notes in a book.
DeleteI once lived in a wonderful neighborhood where people would leave books out on the curb in a box, not for the trashman, but for the neighbors. I've also worked for companies that had a book exchange area. Both were excellent experiences.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful, serendipity of a find.
ReplyDeleteA pop into someone's life, like jumping into a time line.
Beautiful, Tracie.
This is sooo awesome! First off yey for rescuing the books and aaaawwww, what a precious love letter--how great for you but how sad for whoever lost it! :)
ReplyDeleteA lovely story and a romantic note you have shared today.
ReplyDeleteI once worked with a lady that set a budget for her spending money each week and would put that amount in her wallet. Each payday she would open her wall to put in the budget for the next week and remove any money leftover from that week. The left over coins went in to jug and the bills were stuck into a book taken at random from her bookshelf. She got old and money got tight and she no longer had money to hide. Then she and was ready to retire and needed to downsize. Since my father owned an auction house I went to help her pack up the items she wanted to sell. She sorted the bookcase into the keep and sell piles and I went to box up the books to be sold. The first book I picked up spilled money on the flood. Long story short she had forgotten about the dollars she kept hiding away and we had to page through every book she owned in case it contained a stash. In the end she had a windfall of several thousand dollars.
Wow! That is a great story. It is wonderful that you found the money, and were able to help her look through every book so she could find all of it. What a blessing.
Delete