I was in between services recently and stopped in the the library to
see if there were any good dollar books
that would look better in my library
or at least the side of my bed
instead of on their shelves. . .
As I was walking up the walk way, there was a little unhappy, crying boy who was coming out of the library. He was with his grandmother who was trying to calmly explained to him that they couldn’t take out any library books and movies this time, but he wasn’t having any of it. He sobbingly wanted to know why he couldn’t have his books like he always had in the past, especially now; she calmly was telling him about him going away with his parents and not being able to take the books back before he goes. . . .
When I walked in the Library there were a couple of ladies looking out the window as the grandmother, holding the crying boy’s hand, walked away.
I said he was a little upset and they picked up the script from there and put the scene in focus right before their exit by explaining that they are regulars, especially on STORY DAY.
“What book were you reading,” I asked?
Shel Silverstein’s, WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS
“Well. . .no wonder he was crying–that’s a good one,” I offered up.
I N V I T A T I O N
If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer. . .
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in S.Silverstein
I went to the restroom and then began pursuing the tables lined with $1.00 a book sale; after picking up a few gems I was leaving the front door where I overheard one of the Librarians sigh,
“WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A KID CRY BECAUSE HE WAS LEAVING LIBRARY WITHOUT BOOKS?”
It was my Hmmmmmmm of the Day and apparently
the question that hung in the air
and now ricochets around in my head. . .
N O W
when was the last time you can remember that wanted something
so desperately bad
that you actually cried. . .
you sobbed?
Was it yesterday?
Was it some 20. . .
30. . .
50 years or so?
Was it when you were a teenager?
Was it when you had your heart broken. . .
or broken again?
Was it when it your parents or grandparents said,
“N O”
or that you had to go
or couldn’t go someplace. . .
Was it when you wanted your favorite toy then. . .or now?
Was when it you were caught doing something you shouldn’t have been doing?
Was it when you were four or five,
coming out of the library
WITHOUT BOOKS?
W A N T T H A T
a g a i n
and you can find the secret
to life and the living of it. . .
LISTEN TO THE MUSTN’TS
Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me–
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be. S. Silverstein
‘When was the last time you’ve seen a kid cry
because he was leaving the library without any books?’
Just a few weeks ago for me when I got
l i b r a r y ‘ d
going into a Library
to get something that a library
was never meant to be known for
. . .and every time I’ve looked in the mirror since
and slowly,
very,
very
slowly re-read
Shel Silverstein’s, WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS
Y o u ?
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