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In which my voice quivers talking about my books

For those of you who have been following this blog for more than oh, say, a week, you know I’m a bit taken with books. If my books are with me, I feel all is well with the world. With this being a year of cour_ge  that involves resigning from my job, instead of writing about my dearies and their shelves, I’ve made this video {and yes, my voice gets a bit quaky near the end, shocking, I know :)} so you can taste the loss.

 

The way an anchor might belie its importance to a boat by its small size, my bookshelves have anchored me in recent years and I’m going to miss this hallway. But I’m off to new anchors.

Q4U: What unexpected person, place, or thing has been used to anchor you? Or share a place in your home that’s special to you. I love it when you comment :). Thanks! Amy

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25 Comments March 25, 2013

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About Amy

My name is Amy and I live in the messy middle of life. I have been Redeemed from permanent muck and live with the tension of the Already and Not Yet.

Comments

  1. Amy says

    March 25, 2013 at 6:47 am

    I Love this, and completely get it. I love books, (MANY of the same books!) I always make a bee line to look at people books. I know they will find their way to the right people! Thank you for sharing, it honestly made my day!!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 9:33 am

      Me too! On making a bee line to people’s bookcase :)

      Reply
  2. nancy petrie says

    March 25, 2013 at 6:58 am

    Photographs anchor me and I would be devastated if anything happened to them. They anchor me to the past, the present and the hope of more anchors me to the future.

    I can spend many hours reminiscing about places, people and events. In discussion about what you would save first in the event of fire that would be one of the first things I would try and save. (Apart from people of course)! On the other hand George would try and save his many thousands of books. x

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 9:34 am

      Oh I can totally picture that about George :) … and pictures are probably my #2 thing (and it’s very, very close to books!)

      Reply
  3. HopefulLeigh says

    March 25, 2013 at 7:15 am

    Oh, Amy! Those are not just bookshelves. They are built-in bookshelves and lovely ones at that! Look at all the space you have! I absolutely understand the wavering voice. Books are definite anchors in my life. Shocking, right? ;)

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 9:35 am

      Shocking :) … and that is it EXACTLY — that they are built-in. Thank you for getting that aspect :)

      Reply
  4. Melinda Oberhelman says

    March 25, 2013 at 8:00 am

    Dear friend, I don’t know how I missed the blog on your big change–maybe because it happened during some big changes in my life. Life is change and I celebrate your cour_ge and heart.

    When I think of those things that serve as an anchor for me–my books are very close to the top. They are like a road map of my life and where I have been and what I have done and those things that are important to me. This past year I gave so many of my book friends to others, it was so very hard . . . and yet very important to my journey.

    The other thing that makes me feel like I am “home” are my tea cups and tea pots! When I get them out and place them in a special place, it feels like home. They carry so many many memories for me. (I have a couple of special ones from Denver!)

    Dear friend, I am praying for you and the next path of your journey. You hold a special place in my heart!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 9:36 am

      Oh Melinda, thank you. And tea cups would be on my list too :). Did you see the teapot at the end of the hall on my top shelf? :) … I so get that!

      Reply
  5. Rhonda says

    March 25, 2013 at 8:43 am

    Amy, I know what you mean about your books. In my apartment, back in Canada, I had a small storage small that had my 5 bookcases full of books. Although it was a tight area to be in. I loved being in there and surrounded by my books. I can relate on how you feel about packing them up and scattering them. All my books are in storage back in Canada. There are over 50 boxes ( good size boxes) full of books. I miss them very much. Even my students here, where I teach, know how much I miss them. It has been tough but I have been able to slowly start building a new collection here. New books = new friends which is great but missing some of my old friends (books).

    The other area in my apartment that was my anchor was my art studio. It definitely was my piece of heaven on earth. Working on how to have a studio over here.

    By the way, have the same Miller books you do. Love them! :)

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 9:32 am

      I love it that we have similar books! I’m not surprised :)

      Reply
  6. Marsha Young says

    March 25, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Amy, dear daughter, I wonder where you got your love for books!!! Hmmmm!! You know how I love my shelves and stacks of books that fill our home. They are my friends,, my support , consolation, and joy for any give day. As I look around this room I am happy to see stacks,shelves and piles of my dear books. Oh, that reminds me – I need to put away the Valentine books that still sit in the diningroom in a special basket. There is little as heart-warming as a basket of books!!!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      This apple didn’t fall far from the tree :) … I love it when you say, “have you read such-and-such a book?” and when I haven’t the quick reply is “it’ll be waiting for you in the summer.” Words to warm my heart!

      Reply
      • Mark Allman says

        March 25, 2013 at 9:13 pm

        Marsha,
        I love it when a parent comments on a blog. It is nice to hear from you and I know you are so proud of Amy.

        Reply
  7. Patty Stallings says

    March 25, 2013 at 11:33 am

    My favorite part of this post was hearing the gratitude intertwined with the grieving. I can so relate!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 3:14 pm

      I hope that’s a cornerstone of most things I do … for they are intertwined. Thanks for naming it Patty!

      Reply
  8. CQ MB says

    March 25, 2013 at 1:34 pm

    Amy, i love that you took a video of your bookshelves. Finishing well. My first year around Christmas i asked my brother to give me a tour of our house on skype, when i thought my parents were selling our house. I remember feeling so peaceful when he got to my bedroom. i just needed to see that it was still there and the way i left it. Every year my mom tries to make me get rid of more and more books and i keep telling her no.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 25, 2013 at 3:14 pm

      Solidarity, sister!

      Reply
  9. Kristi says

    March 25, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    It’s been over 3 years since I’ve really had a place I could call my own. I packed up, sold, donated, gave away, and threw away most of my stuff during the summer of 2010 (including many, many books). My anchor, however, is right next to Nancy’s. I easily have over a hundred photo albums stored at my parents’ house. While visiting me my sister once counted over 100 framed photos in my 4 room apartment (counting the bathroom). I photograph people, events, my environment, things I’ve made, things people have given me, the weather, you name it. I would definitely go for the pictures first in case of fire along with my computer (lots of recent photos there) and my journal.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 28, 2013 at 6:35 am

      I love learning new little tidbits about folks! I didn’t know this, but it doesn’t surprise me :)

      Reply
  10. Mark Allman says

    March 25, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Amy,
    I thought the vlog was great and you should make that a regular feature on your site. I love built in book shelves of which I have none. I built book shelves to hold my 800 books but nothing beats built in shelves. But I do think that book shelves without books is what black would be without white.

    Reply
  11. Erin says

    March 26, 2013 at 3:03 am

    Those are beautiful bookshelves! I have some built-in shelves, but they are so narrow that they don’t accommodate bigger books (such as Allison’s picture books.) The teacups and signs (love the “no spitting!”) add to the beauty. My favorite part of my house is my living room. It is too big for my family, but it accommodates our small group wonderfully, and since they are almost family, the room means a lot to me. Allison also re-learned how to somersault there without crashing into any furniture – you can’t do that just anywhere!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 28, 2013 at 6:37 am

      Erin, my dad gave me the no spitting sign back when I lived in Chengdu and needed that as a classroom rule. He thought it was a hoot, and it reminds me of him!

      Reply
  12. katina vaselopulos says

    March 26, 2013 at 9:18 am

    Amy,

    Beautiful bookselves with beautifully arranged books and lovely objects! I know how it feels to live with and for books. I have large build-in and standing bookcases in our hallway, family room, my office, our bedroom, and in the kitchen. Every dollar I could ever spent went into books rather than clothes and jewelery.

    Few years back. I gave away books that no longer meant much to me. I shared with my friends, children, local library, our Greek and American schools, our chruch where parishioners could choose and take with. Still the book cases are filled.

    I am very sentimental about them!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoAmy says

      March 28, 2013 at 6:38 am

      I totally understand sentiment, Katina! Most of my books come with a story :)

      Reply
  13. Jared Latigo says

    April 4, 2013 at 3:00 am

    Wow, very nicely organized and LOVE that you have so many books! I’m a fairly new reader to be honest but can’t get enough of them. Currently, my favorite place in my house isn’t my house at all but rather my office…which is a converted metal building…in my backyard. :D It’s the one place I can get serenity and all is quiet. (I have a 3 year old boy so the yelling rarely stops)

    Thanks for sharing your books and love for them. Take care!

    Reply

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