My favorite things about the bookstore. I could write forever, because every day there is something new that I appreciate. I have been so blessed to work here for the last two 1/2 years.
- The old couples, still in love, when an old gentleman buys his elderly wife a new necklace and she kisses him softly and says thank you.
- The cute young couples, who act so differently than the old, yet infatuated with each other nonetheless as they discuss which books to buy.
- And the random people who come in, ask if I need prayer, and pray with me. The ones who, with tears in their eyes ask if they can talk to me about a difficult situation in their life, and ask me to pray with them, and thank me for listening.
- The quiet afternoons alone with only a store full of books, to learn about God and life and Christ-centered relationships. The afternoons where my friends come and visit just to sit with me and be bored with me.
- The worship music playing constantly, and the days when my coworkers and I turn it up loud and dance like crazy because nobody is around. And then someone drives up, we race to quiet the music and our hearts and pretend everything is normal, and die laughing as soon as they leave.
- And the way we coworkers love our loyal customers dearly, but secretly loathe the few people who never come in, then expect us to have everything their heart desires and complain and yell at us when we don't have it in our giant back, and complain about the shelves being empty. The way we coworkers complain about them and secretly talk bad about them, and then have to pretend as if they are our best friends when they walk in the door.
- And then there are the customers that we do love, that come in often, and have become our friends. The ones that we know bits of their life story, and they know bits of ours. The ones whom we feel as though we are loosing as friends as we are loosing our bookstore.
- And of course the overheard conversations -
An elderly couple walked in, the man sat down as the woman shopped. There was a younger woman with them and she said to the man, "I can tell you are really in love," And the reply with a surprised smile, "Oh can you now?"
- A little girl asks "Daddy, can I have a new necklace?" and he replies, "You sure can." She squeals with delight and a "Yippee" and says over and over, "I love it, it's so pretty, isn't it pretty daddy?" "It is pretty, hunny."
-The conversations with vendors, the ones that call every week and drive us crazy, but we entertain with conversation anyway, because we really do enjoy them.
- The home made goodies that my boss brings in, and the deep conversations with my boss, and for that matter, I'm going to miss my boss a lot. She is the coolest 35 year old I know, with the best sense of style.
- Learning new things every time I work. Learning about books and publishers, retail and music, dealing with people, loving people. Learning new things about God and life, and learning about myself - just how much I am capable of dealing with horrible people, and asking God to love them through me anyway.
- What is considered "work." The fact that I get paid for drawing on windows, hanging up snowflakes, playing with stickers, drawing on paper, reading books, talking to people, and listening to Jesus music.
- The fact that they say I can travel for as long as I want as long as I come back. I have been blessed.
As the bookstore closes, a chapter in my life is ending. It's terrifying. One of the most comforting things in my life will be no more in just a few short weeks. Thank God for pictures, memories, and lifelong friends.
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