Opening Doors to a New World

We opened the library at our school in Bajipura this week. A big thanks goes out to all of the people that had a hand in the process- soliciting and collecting book donations, shipping the books to India, and the people that helped to organize and categorize the books. I had the pleasure of being there to witness the culmination of the hard work. The children and staff sincerely extend their gratitude to all who made this venture possible.

Books are special, not only for the written content, which in some instances can be very powerful, but also for the memories. This is especially true for children’s books, and many of us can remember those initial steps we took of reading a favorite book- sounding out the words and slowly stumbling through it. There was a sense of accomplishment, as well as a sense of wonder. Books opened up a new world for us- there were dinosaurs, fairies, trucks, princesses, and knights in shining armor- Disney, Winnie the Pooh, Dr. Seuss, and Little Engines that Could…….There was no end to the possibilities, and I don’t think those feelings ever end either. While sorting through the books, I was able to read some of them, and it was just a good feeling- Yes, it made me happy and more self confident in my reading skills ;) No, the feelings and memories that they bring about. It was a time of innocence, and we read for the joy of reading- not because it was assigned or there would be a test over the material.
It seems that kids are magically drawn to books, and I am sure that it is because their minds can run wild with the new worlds before them. Books also create memories of childhood, and I found this especially true of the Christmas books. There are not too many signals that Christmas is just around the corner, but one can not help but read, Twas the Night Before Christmas, and not be sucked up in the memories of hearing it as a child and the eager anticipation that accompanied it around the holiday season. It sucks you in, and the sights, sounds, and smells come flooding back to create an atmosphere that even the most skilled movie producers would have a hard time replicating. Books are life, and they have always been there for us through the good and bad times- those memories are forever captured in the books that shared those experiences with us. I know these books will create memories for the children here in India as well. They will remember reading their first English book, and they will remember the magical worlds that were opened up through the books. One never knows how these initial sparks will turn out- some of them will definitely turn into wildfires of seeking knowledge and expanding world views.

Again, on behalf of all the teachers and students over here, I would like the say thanks to all those that made this library possible. I think the smiles say it all :)