After work the other day, I went over to browse Barnes & Noble, the favored option to sitting in freeway traffic on the way home, heading for no plans other than homework. I picked up a dreamy salted caramel hot chocolate from their in-house Starbucks (10% off for being a member, heyyyy) and started aimlessly roaming the displays. Sometimes elevator music and sometimes modern pop plays overhead (a confusing mixture), and I sip away while walking at the most leisurely of paces. Pretty covers and cheesy titles usually catch my hopeless romantic eye, but I'm also intrigued by the biographies section that tells the stories of our world's most iconic and interesting minds.
So what does all this walking around by myself have to do with my faith in humanity? Oh, let me explain. It's awesome. The thing is, I'm not the only one wandering aimlessly while drinking sugary goodness--the place is packed! I am so weirdly comforted that there are still enough people that appreciate reading and learning to keep a place like Barnes & Noble not just in business, but booming. The world still has people that are curious and willing to slow down and get lost in a story. People still discover new worlds through text and give their children books as gifts. That's sure reassuring in our highly digital, filtered, and always updated world.
So instead of sitting in traffic, or going home to watch Netflix, maybe stop in to the nearest B&N and take it all in.
I love B&N too! I'm just sad they've stopped putting in comfy chairs and reading spots. I know they want us to BUY the book but can't we preview a little too??
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