Juxtaposition

Yesterday in the bookstore two boys about the same age were with their mothers shopping. One boy ran around the store looking at all the toys, running from place to place, making noise and disturbing the shoppers. This boy was oblivious that he was actually in a bookstore. He was there merely to pass the time and to have “fun.”

The other boy came up to the help desk and asked about several titles. I took him to the books he requested, when he saw them his eyes lit up. He reached out and clutched the books tightly to his chest and slowly walked back toward his mother keeping his eyes on all the books along the way.

Both of these boys had two entirely different experiences in the store. The first boy was there merely because his mother brought him. His aim was to pass the time until he could leave. The second boy had purpose and intent. He wanted to find specific books. It was obvious he loved to read.

Now, I’m not saying one boy is better than the other. But to see these two in the store yesterday, it was obvious which of the boys was intelligent, disciplined, and mannered. Moreover, it was obvious which boy had a full imagination. Those two boys will probably have totally different career paths and experiences in life. The latter probably gaining a greater amount of overall experience by virtue of his love for reading.

Those people who love books do have a way about them. They carry themselves in a different manner, they see things in ways that others do not; those who are merely here to pass the time. Book lovers tend to be disciplined, mannered, and intelligent. This was obvious yesterday in the bookstore.