I miss the library. I really do.
I miss it like the friends I used to make at camp when I was a kid. Every August, I would pack my crap and my mom would drive me two hours north for a couple weeks of band camp. Yes, band camp. Not the kinky band camp from the American Pie movies, the band camp that molded me into a girl who never admits to anyone she once played the flute gifted musician.
Band camp rocked my pre-teen world. Not only did I get the opportunity to study a subject I was passionate about, I also got the opportunity to meet others just like me. I spent all day, every day with these dorks music lovers and formed some real friendships. Unfortunately, when camp was over, so were my relationships. I mean, we all had our ‘real’ friends waiting for us at home. And yet, all year, every year I missed my band buddies and thought of them often.
I feel the same about the library. I love to read. It’s another passion of mine. I could look around the building of books for hours and once upon a time, I did. A library isn’t exactly the best place for two toddlers. If you want to watch a librarian just about blow her lips off, I’ll walk Reichen and Latham in there for you. If I could shush like that, I would. It would be a cool party trick to show your friends after you’ve had a couple glasses of wine, but I think you have to be born with a special shushing skill – or at least practice it a lot. I don’t have that kind of time.
Don’t get me wrong, I still go to the library at least weekly but it’s different these days. I request the books I want, wait for them and when they arrive I rush in and I rush out before Reichen screams, “Momma, did you hear me toot?” The days of looking and lingering are over, at least they were until last weekend – that’s when I got to spend a couple hours there on accident.
My oldest son was spending the day with grandma and my husband was spending some one on one time with the baby when I drove to the library Saturday. I needed to return some overdue books and had every intention of rushing in and rushing out since my list of errands was long, but then I saw this:
Do I bake cakes? No.
Do I decorate cakes? Never.
Do I have any interest in learning how to bake or decorate cakes? Not really.
And then I saw this one:
Do I sew? No.
Do I craft? Never.
Do I want to make pretty pillowcases into dresses? Not really.
The point is: I could if I wanted and the library would have the perfect book if the need ever came a knockin’ but I need time to find them.
I miss the library, but I know one day all too soon I’ll be spending my time there instead of with my boys who will be just too cool for mommy and I’ll be missing them.
*Embarrassing Interesting Foot Note: I’m actually taking flute lessons again these days. I know! My mom is making me do it! She wants me to play for an upcoming family function. Not only am I 8 years older than my instructor, I’m nearly 30 years older than her youngest student. All I really want to know: how can my mom still make me do what she wants? It’s that amazing power you get when you become a mom. I’m just glad I have it now too. I’m already conjuring up all the strange stuff I’m going to make my boys do when they’re 35.
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Another great article. I wasn’t sure how you were going to tie in the library with band camp but you did it. (Of course). I loved it. “mommy power”