I Appreciate: Bookstores

When I was younger, I would get lost in bookstores. Back in the late 80's and early 90's, Walden Books was the "it" spot for book nerds in my hometown, and every time I went to the mall, I spent at least an hour (usually more) in that store. Barely bigger than a shoebox, it was filled to the brim with books, magazines, newspapers... Floor to ceiling and wall to wall - every square inch was covered in the literay word. It was my heaven. My little oasis away from the chaos and angst of typical pre-teen / teenage life. Every time I walked into that store, smelled the paper and book binding, I could feel my blood pressure drop.

And today, years later, I can still walk into a bookstore and feel that instant happiness. When I'm in a bookstore, I breathe easier. My heart beats lighter. My shoulders feel weightless. The minute I pass through the doors, time stops, worries dissolve, and every thought I have vibrates with possibility.

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time in bookstores.

So today I appreciate bookstores because, well, they make me happy. And that alone is enough of a reason to appreciate, don't you think?

What do you appreciate today? :)

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"I get crazy in a bookstore. It makes my heart beat hard because I want to buy everything."
-- Reese Witherspoon