Mental Sampler 32
We went to a town on the eastern shore to read by the water. When we sat down on the benches, it became apparent that the group of people standing on the bank were scattering someone’s ashes. They were taking turns opening plastic bags and dumping the ashes into the water. Later, they climbed up onto the grass and continued to catch up with one another now that the ceremony was over.
I’ve scattered ashes myself, but it was my first time witnessing another group releasing ashes. I found it oddly moving to get to bear witness to an ending.
*******
Our local library system holds a yearly summer reading program. I participated in it as a kid. They’ll put your name up at the local library if you read the requisite number of books.
This year, the library invited adults to participate, too. We don’t get our name up at the local branch, but if you read six books, you get a coupon for ice cream and stickers. We signed up as a family, and if we reach our reading goal, I’ll cut out paper stars and put our names up in the kitchen. You need to take the wins where you can.
2 comments
Alex took the “name up in the library” reward VERY seriously last summer. This year we are participating in a different library and they aren’t doing that. Maybe I should suggest it. (We live on the very edge of our county so our “official” library is not our closest library. Last year I paid for a temporary card at our closest library but this year we needed to renew in person at our official library so I can continue to use their digital catalog so we trekked all the way over there and then obviously ended up trapped in the summer reading program and with piles of checked out books that need to be returned, so driving to the official library it is this summer!)
Our local library does adult and youth summer reading and it’s so fun! One year I won multiple times and it was just so exciting. I have never won again but it’s still a happy feeling, logging my books and knowing I’m entered into a raffle each week. Such a little, delightful thing to look forward to.
Leave a Comment