How a Boy in a Bookstore Broke my Heart

Bookstores, like libraries, are full of possibilities. The possibility of adventure, education, learning a new skill, the exploration of ideas. For us readers, these institutions of amalgamated human knowledge are sacred ground. Books allow us to explore real places, other lives, made-up worlds, different cultures, religions, careers, and human experiences without leaving the comfort of our own couch. As one of the great authors of our time George R.R. Martin said, “I have lived a thousand lives and I’ve loved a thousand loves. I’ve walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time. Because I read.” Because I read. Those three little words, like I love you, carry an immense amount of weight. They can answer questions, stop (and start) arguments, and bring about understanding. So it hurts when someone defames my career, and my hobby. Not because they don’t like what I do, but because I know what they are missing. It is especially painful when that person is a child. On a rare night out…