childhood

My heart was tickled: My son wanted to go book shopping

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When I was a young girl in the Bronx, my mom used to do something for me that was extraordinary. Well, of course, everything my mom did for me was extraordinary. My mom went the extra mile or hundred for me. And for that I will be forever grateful. One thing in particular that she did was get me books from the library or buy me books with what little money we had. I have lost the majority of those books. Or rather, I no longer have any but one; that being a Spanish-English dictionary that she got me.  I have not opened that dictionary in two decades, I believe. But I hope to pass it on to my son. Its one of the few things I have left from back then. And to me that dictionary represents my love affair with books that helped me get out of where I was and to grow the curiosity within my mind.

 

But enough about that past. Its a bit too sad for this early spring day.  And plus, I am very happy at the moment with the state of my son’s love of books.

 

About a month ago or so, we were in Santa Monica walking around enjoying the beauitiful scenery after having had an awesomely delicious meal (with a view). My son, while walking, asked if we could go into the bookstore. Of course, we could!  I, myself, was surprised to still see a bookstore.  He bought a few books. Since then I ordered through Amazon  many more for him. Then this past weekend, he again asked (while we were home) whether we could go book shopping. That moment was pure glory. As someone who grew up on books, I was happy that despite his love of video games, he could still find the time, desire and energy to read real books.

 

Off we went to a special bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. We went to a bookstore called The Last Bookstore.  It is a bookstore that has an arts gallery, old books and a Labyrinth. Its a fun bookstore with history, a sense of irony and an old odd-fashioned way of being a bookstore.  My son wandered and explored and found nooks to walk into.  The bookstore smelled like a bookstore. You could smell the paper. You could feel in the air that people had read these books in the past. It made you wonder about their history and their journey to this bookstore.

 

 

 

I felt a bit of nostalgia that I hope my son will feel as well in the future.

 

 

Categories: childhood, Children, Culture, photography, Psychology, weird

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40 replies »

  13. Your article sure took me to the bookstore! I still prefer going to a bookstore over ordering books online. For me, it is tantamount to visiting my grandparents’ house 🙂 The experience warms my heart – the various smells associated with it, watching people read books and having the feeling of sharing stories with them. Your boy is bound to live a fuller life and be a better person than most because of the many stories and people he will know through books. Living many stories in one life 🙂

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  14. Your article sure took me to the bookstore! I still prefer going to a bookstore over ordering books online. For me, it is tantamount to visiting my grandparents’ home 🙂 The experience warms my heart – the various smells associated with it, watching people read books and having the feeling of sharing stories with them. Your boy is bound to live a fuller life and be a better person than most because of the many stories and people he will know through books. Living many stories in one life 🙂

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  15. Your article sure took me to a bookstore! My favorite part about going to a bookstore is definitely the various smells associated with it. It gives me the same feeling as comfort food would. Your son is bound to have a fuller life and be a better person than most thanks to the various stories he will live through the books. All the best 🙂

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  16. I am so sorry. I started using wordpress just today and I had no idea how these comments work, hence these multiple comments. This is embarrassing! I could not find any contact information so leaving ANOTHER comment.

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  18. OMG! I loved reading this blog post because it reminds how I got started reading books. I truly got that trait from my mom. I always get that feeling when I walk into a library or bookstore that I have this sense of truly peaceful tranquility being surrounded by books. Just pure happiness🤗

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  20. Pingback: My heart was tickled: My son wanted to go book shopping — psychologistmimi | gigigatgat

  23. Great post. I hope my boys develop my love of literature too. There is something so magical about being able to share a story together and bond over a love of books. Thanks for sharing.

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