I love trees. I love the shade they provide on the hottest days of summer; I love look of their skeletons in winter, covered in a thin layer of snow, or dipped in glittering ice; I love the smell of their leaves unfurling in the spring, and the feeling of their rough bark beneath my hands; I love the way they shape the skyline; I love the contrast of their leaves against the cloudless sky, deep earthy green and endless blue.
I love books, the paper ones. I love the smell of them; I love the way they look on my bookcase, spines all lined up, an ever-shifting pattern of colors and textures; I love holding them, leafing through their pages, finding that perfect passage that has been read so many times that the binding is strained there; I love browsing through the shelves of undisclosed riches in the library and the bookstore; I love the feeling of my arms straining to bear the weight of my newfound treasures.
Today is a day when I experience the conflict of loving these two things.
Today is Earth Day.
Plant something.
Lend a book.
I love trees, and I hate paper (I get completely overwhelmed by it). My Kindle has transformed my reading habits, as I buy more books (and now I can use the search function to find passages I like). However, lending it out is a problem! That's one thing that I miss about paper books--the pleasure of lending one to a friend. Very nice post!
ReplyDeleteI still love books. Just love them. And I do love trees. I do wish it would warm up enough in Michigan so we can see some leaves already. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm such a tree person. I love to stare into their upper realms and study their twisting roots. But I do love a paper book, too. I understand your conflict completely.
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