Acknowledged as a BookWorm

Last Sunday afternoon I found myself with some time to kill before heading to church, so I started driving and ended up at one of my favorite places - the Tattered Cover Bookstore. Checking out this site would definitely be a highlight of any Denver visit, but being in the Uptown neighborhood, I went to the less-historical location on Colfax.

I’ve been an avid reader since kindergarten when Mrs. Davis took me up to the front office to have me show off to the administration by reading Three Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens. Partially due to my own pride of acquiring a skill not mastered by many of my peers, and partially due to the fact that books were always around and available at home, I became a lifelong reader. Each New Year’s since my college graduation, in addition to thinking about and writing out resolutions, I make a list of 50 or so books on my annual reading list. I haven’t made it through it’s entirety (though in 2010 I read 30 books!), but it gives me some structure of what to look for when I walk into a library or a bookstore.

The reason I love Tattered Cover is not just because of the availability of the books. It’s also the opportunity to make yourself unavailable. You can take a moment to breathe. Your cell phone is on silent, and people are talking quietly, if at all. It’s easy to separate yourself from the rest of the space, because the shelves are much higher than one’s head, and the strategically-placed chairs and love-seats beckon you to select a book and begin reading. I could go on and on about all the reasons why I love spending time in a bookstore, and why Tattered Cover stands out among the big international chains, but I think what I loved the most that day is the simplicity of the experience. I was, in a few moments, able to disconnect from the constant buzz of my busy life, and just sit. And think. And write a blog.