Monday, August 12, 2013

A HOUSE THAT HAS A LIBRARY IN IT HAS A SOUL. ----Plato

I can't believe it never occurred to me before to blog about Books!!! I have been in love with books from earliest memory. 
             I love the feel and scent of a richly bound book.
             I love the gold leaf of a revered tome.
             I love how thick paper crackles as the pages turn.
             I love the musty smell of an old book. 
             I love a well-worn volume of a much loved and much read book. 
             I love opening a new book for the first time to hear the binding crack.
             I love the emotional high that comes from a good work of fiction.
             I love the intellectual stimulation of a great writer, especially Catholic
                   writers.
             I love choosing Catholic writers from different periods of time and different
                   countries.  I love  Belloc, Chesterton, Sheen, Sheed and Ward, Hahn......
                   the list becomes too long to name.  I'm going to add Lewis even though
                   he wasn't in the Church because he just is so catholic!
             I love cheap paperbacks, used book stores, blockbuster book stores,
                   electronic books......
             I love DECORATING with books.
             I wish I could write a book.....just one good book.

Most of the books in my home now are Catholic in subject.  This was not always the case.  I spent much of the first 30 years of my life reading only fiction unless required reading in school.  Mainly that was because I was in school until the age of 30 and there was such a load of required informational reading that I escaped into fiction whenever possible.  Once out of college, however, I found a great love of history, philosophy, and finally theology.  The last few years have been focused on the study of scripture, Aquinas, and Augustine.

My books are collected in a large bookcase upstairs and this bookcase is in a small alcove with a desk and very comfortable chair.  I rarely read there, however, as my books are frequently scattered about the home.  I often read several books at once and they might end up on my night table or the end table in the family room.  My husband is often concerned about the number of books that are delivered to our door and he is completely unaware of those books delivered to my Kindle!!!  I have books I haven't read yet but own for my future.  I often fanaticize about my retirement from work when I will have hours to spend reading and "taking notes."  This issue of taking notes only recently developed after engaging in a very challenging women's Bible study.  Our fearless leader, Lyn has developed her own curriculum through the study of many different source books.  Her masters degree in theology also provides us with an excellent Catholic framework for our study of the Old Testament.   I have been a member of this study for six years.  We often joke that we hope we reach the New Testament before we are too old to study.

My profession is psychology and I must confess owning many volumes about psychology but my Catholic book collection has now surpassed my number of professional books.  I consider my Catholic collection to be an invaluable help to my practice however and some of the best sources for understanding objective truth and human nature.