Have you ever gotten lost in life? It is quite easy to do nowadays. Can I tell you about my safe and warm hiding place? The Madison Library in Rexburg, Idaho is where I hide from a world of chaos. In the library you can find a world of magical adventure or learning or just playing games. My wife tells about her childhood. “When I was really little I used to go down into the basement of the old library where the children’s area was located. When I would go up to the upstairs it was so huge and amazing. My brother used to check out so many books he would always keep the librarians busy. I loved that little old green library located east of the current library and next to the fire station. I used to run over there always during grade school to do research for school papers. When it was hot outside during the summer I would go to the library and spend hours just looking at books and enjoying the cool and comfortable library.”
My wife also remembers that at the time of the Teton Dam flood she had checked out “Gone with the Wind.” She had been reading this wonderful book and it was not ruined after the flood so she was so happy to be able to read it when the library was closed after the flood. So then they built the library across the street on the corner. She reported “The library has been such a constant and reliable safe haven in my life. I was so happy to see the new library built after the flood. I was so worried that the library would not be built again after the flood. It was so cool when everyone brought books to donate after the flood and I saw everyone felt that the library was such an asset and a vital gathering place in the community.” A very fond memory of her childhood that my wife related to me was that she remembered that her father would visit the library on a regular basis and he was always reading a book. She reports “when I was a small child he would use a butter knife to hold his books open. So when I was young I first associated a butter knife with reading a book before I ever realized its true purpose.” When we moved to Rexburg with our family my wife and I were able to bring our children to the library to check out fun books and we had so much fun getting books. My wife would walk to the library with our children and it was an event to go to the library because they would get so excited as they anticipated their time at the library. They were delighted to participate in the Summer reading programs. So many times my children would be able to get excited about outside chalk art or rock painting activities. Reading parties were also great fun for my children. Going to the library helped teach my children a lot of responsibility and how to interact properly with others and to treat adults with respect. My daughter said that she especially enjoyed looking at a dinosaur or I Spy picture book while sitting on a banana chair in the children’s section. Many times she would check out her favorite videos. She said she felt like she was at home in the library and was able to just be herself while exploring the world. Many times I have gone to the library to just get away from the worries and trials of life and I have been able to relax and collect my thoughts while reading the paper or sitting by the fireplace and talking with a friend or two. I have so much enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with a friend or play a game of chess. When I go to the library I don’t have to have anything on my agenda so I can just chill and let whatever happen just happen and it takes so much stress away and just that quick I am able to get back to being the real me.
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