When I set out to have a used book drive/sale to benefit the Newspaper in Education program at The Meridian Star, I had no concept of the backbreaking labor it would be to carry and shift boxes of books, and then sort through them, one by one. Thank God for Terry in the mailroom, with his dollies, helping me to move carfuls of book boxes with nothing but a cheery word and smile during the process. And the ladies in the "front" part of the paper help to carry bags and boxes that get dropped off up front.
The drive is only nine days old, and I can't count the number of books folks have donated. I myself have a lot more to bring and add to the pile.
We have signed copies of books by local writers, including one of Homesick, a memoir by Sela Ward about growing up - and coming home - to Meridian. The members of The Mississippi Writers' Guild have been sending me signed copies of their works, and that is an exciting part of this whole process.
Some really antique books have shown up deep inside some of these boxes. I have an 1850 mathematics text from some university in either Kentucky or Tennessee, and there are others. I plan to do a bit of research before setting these vintage books out.
Many people, like me, come to a time in life when we feel ready to lighten the load of possessions we have carted around with us all our lives. A time to let loose and let others share in what we've treasured. The books that really touch my heart are those with inscriptions: to Mama on her birthday, to Sally for Christmas......those kinds of things. Eventually, all things must pass on. It is a reminder of the short, transient nature of our life upon this earth. We truly will take nothing with us but the bodies into which our souls were imbued.
I hope people come to our sale......not sure when exactly it will be yet. The prices will be good, and I'd love to see us raise hundreds of dollars for our NIE program. It all goes to get free newspapers into the hands of students. God bless this work.
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