Going through Daddy’s books can be a bit overwhelming, but it also offers its rewards.
I pulled some books off the shelves (that no one seemed to want) to donate to a ministry. The rule when going through Daddy’s things is to look for notes. He kept scraps of paper and a pen in his pocket just in case something struck his fancy. Whether at church, riding in the car, sitting on the bench at the store, or relaxing in his chair at home, he pulled the paper and pen from his pocket and scribbled notes often accompanied with a giggle.
Before I placed the books in boxes, I first thumbed through the pages. I found bookmarks, a piece of fabric, a few photos, bulletins, notes, a piece of cardboard, a wedding invitation, an obituary, a letter or two, a note from the couple that housed Mama when she was teaching school, and a bunch of scribbled on scraps of paper that are pretty much illegible. The oldest dated paper was from 1964.
In the process, I found a word of wisdom:
“We never get too old to learn some new way of being stupid.”
I also found this little jewel:
Mama, Mama, can you see
A stripped chipmunk by that tree?
Sonny, Sonny, are you drunk
That’s not a chipmunk, that’s a skunk.
A skunk mama? How can you tell?
Some folks know him by his smell.
Opening a book can transport you to anywhere. You have the world at your fingertips and can experience places you’ve never been, visit unknown worlds, learn great truths, or step back in time. Who knows, you might just uncover a hidden jewel not written on the pages of the book, but on a random scrap of paper stuck between the leaves for whatever reason.