Sunday, August 9 was a HOT one! It was the perfect day to cool off with a scoop (or 2, or 3) of ice cream in our beautiful public library. I was honored when Dorothy Fitts (the multi-talented head librarian) and Nancy Opalko (the ultra-creative children’s librarian) invited me to read to the children before the ice cream was served.
It turned out to be a small event, but it was actually one of my favorite yet! With less than 10 kids bunched together on the comfy sofas, it was an intimate story time that allowed me to really interact with the children in a way that is often impossible with larger groups. I enjoyed hearing their stories about pets – including mice, cats, and even a crab that died and came back to life.
It reminded me of our own hermit crab, named Peek-a-Boo, who died after a healthy and happy 8 months in our home. After three days of confirming that the hermit crab was officially dead, we proceeded to decorate a shoebox and dig a hole in the backyard pet cemetery. While sharing our special Peek-a-Boo memories over the grave, we heard a scratching noise. My children insisted we open the box, and much to our surprise, Peek-a-Boo had risen from the dead.
My son, Adam, instantly made the connection to the story of Christ — and so we renamed the poor crab Jesus and gave him another few months of memories in our home before he decided once and for all that he was done with this planet.
There’s nothing like spending a Sunday afternoon in the library. Add some sweet children, supportive parents, and scoops of ice cream — and voila! It all adds up to be a perfect day.
Thanks Ms. Fitts and Ms. Opalko for giving me this unique opportunity. The library has always been one of our family’s favorite spots, and I hope you’ll allow me the honor to read there again in the future.
j
