Found some happiness today. . .

Well it's about time! I'm sure that's what some of y'all are saying after reading my last blog entry, when I was all kinds of doom and gloom, and woe is me, no body likes me I guess I'll go eat worms. After a short time of feeling sorry for myself I decided to change things, and since I have no control over anything but me, I changed myself. I started walking, really walking, not just a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood but 3 miles of speed walking. It's sweaty and makes my legs hurt, but it makes me happy. Ok well not happy but at least productive. I've walked every day this week and I feel so much better - exercise really does combat depression!
But I digress, that's not the happiness I found today. I found a bookstore. And not a big superstore book store where there are 100's of thousands of books and you're suppose to sit with coffee and look like you're more intellectual than you really are. No, I found a small mom and pops books store where they greet you at the door and are actually happy you are there. I was given a tour of the whole store by a very sweet woman and I felt more welcome in that little bit of time then I have in the month we've lived here. It makes me laugh when I think how many times I've passed this bookstore and have said to myself "One day I'll go in there, but not today." I have missed out on so much! If you know anything about me, you should know that I love to read - mostly smut in the guise of romance but I am open to reading just about anything. I devour books and I need them to exist. I could never switch to an ebook because I need the bookstore as much as I need the story. The experience of walking through rows and rows of towering bookcases, spines facing out, each book beckoning for you to pull it out and give it a quick scan so it can lure you in and convince you that you MUST own it. Today was like a homecoming in the back of the bookstore. Books I've read in the past were there welcoming me like old friends. I was surrounded by both memories of stories I love and the hope of stories I'll get to read. I walked in there tired from a long day of errands and life and came out refreshed and excited about the possibilities all around me. I also came out with a bag full of goodies and the promise to visit in a week to get my next fix.

I'll leave you with this bit of wisdom I saw today:

"If not NOW, When? Today is just tomorrow's yesterday"

Funny; I just realized I read this sign before heading home and on my way home was when I decided to stop at the bookstore. I wonder if it made it's way in to my subconscious and when I saw the bookstore sign it came to the fore front of my mind and was the reason that this was the day I decided to stop instead of just driving by. hmmmm