My books

I knew packing up all of the books was going to be not only a physically formidable task, but also slightly gut wrenching.
My beloved books, my pages, in whose words and stories, I have hidden for hours, amongst dearest friends I know intimately. I gain strength and inspiration and courage from their pages. I cry, hot, sad tears over them, laugh loudly startling my children, shake my head in disgust at foolish characters, ignored the phone for the luxury of some pure, undiluted reading time...and accidentally scallop their pages in the bathtub one time too many.
As soon as was possible, I taught my girls to read them, then bought them books and shared my passion for reading, for writing, for loving words, with them. I read their books, we discussed them seriously together.

I had to look through them all now, the kids books especially, needed to be thinned out. It was a true rite of passage for my girls. Gone are the "My little pony books", along with "Care bears" and "hello Kitty" now designated for my nieces.
Gone are the first readers with ballerina or princess themes, books with jewel tones, in pepto bismol pinks and lurid purples, with an occasional ingrained gemstone or glitter cover. Not that I would not let Dovi read those glossy, pretty books. I would read them to my son, but he simply would be suitably disgusted and ask for his primary-colored, superhero tosterterone-laden fare...

Splitting up books, so they can read a few with Dad was more difficult.What connotes a primary book versus a secondary book? I decided to leave most of the massive, heavy, lovely coffee table books for paging through together, Chicken soup for the soul type books stayed too, as they can be indulged in small amounts, and they make me cry horribly.

My shelves, they are becoming bare, naked, this place is looking less and less like mine.

I am the book collector, the books are mostly mine. I can't seem to leave many behind. I need them...all.
I have about fifteen big boxes of books, I think, right after the beds are set up in my new apartment, the books will need to be put into shelves. then it will immediately feel like home.