Menu

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

alt

The Home Library: A Source of Peace, Calm and Security
by Guest Writer Randy Weiss

This article is printed by permission from Jim and Randy Weiss's newsletter: Jim Weiss Newsletter, Intelligent Entertainment for the Thinking Family.
Our family knows Jim Weiss as the voice reading countless G.A. Henty books we've listened to while traveling cross-country visiting family and friends.

Many years ago, we lived next door to a prominent family who had a large home.Three little boys aged 5-9 lived there with their well-educated parents.

Jim and I became close friends with the couple and an “aunty” and “uncle” to their children.

The children visited our home frequently and the highlight of each visit for them was to peruse our various bookshelves for books that they might be interested in reading. They couldn’t believe that we had bookcases in almost every room of the house. Each child followed the same process of admiring the collection and then selecting a book and discussing it with Jim or I, sometimes putting it back and other times setting it aside while the process continued. They always left with a book or two (or more) to borrow. And their parents were always so proud.

One day when I was visiting their mom, I noticed for the first time that their bookshelves were completely void of books. My friend explained that all they had were paperback books and they looked tacky on the shelves. I was astonished. I commented that books of any sort in the home convey to children the message of lifelong learning and reading for pleasure. This theory was so clearly  evidenced by her children's reaction to our home library which did indeed include treasured paperbacks. She remained unconvinced. Books to her were about home décor.

Every home Jim and I ever had from apartment to condo to house, to bigger house, etc. was full of books, often too many books. Neither of us from our early years together to present day could ever imagine a home without our beloved books. Whether paperback or hard cover, tattered or freshly purchased, these books have always been our silent companions sitting there offering a sense of peace, calm and security.

As a child, I treasured my time at the library. I would wander through the stacks gazing at the shelves with great certainty that after a couple of hours of perusing, the perfect book would land in my hands. I was rarely disappointed once I got it into my room at home and began reading.

As parents, Jim and I have shared our love of books with our daughter from her infancy to present day. We used to tell her that we will be open to any emotion except boredom on the premise that if she can read, she can always escape from being bored. While that might have been pushing the case a bit, she learned at an early age to cherish her growing library and that boredom was a waste of time.

For most of my life, I felt like I had some sort of book-buying disease as I continually purchased books that I had absolutely no time to read. Nonetheless, these unread books fueled my inner soul and simply made me happy to look at. Finally, I have reached a stage of life when I have time to read. I am actually catching up with all those past purchases and feeling quite giddy at the very thought.

The enchantment, magic and reality of the written word is a powerful tool that can ease nearly every state of mind or predicament. To me, books are silent, reliable, consistent friends.

Jim and I developed career(s) and a company (Greathall Productions now morphed into Jim Weiss, LLC) that is based on the love of reading, literature and history and targeted at introducing the written word via the spoken word to listeners of all ages. We have had the good fortune of working with literary works on a full-time basis and this blessing has enhanced our lives beyond "words."

To view the complete newsletter here's the link.

Photo: Jim and Randy's living room always houses books

Randy Weiss, CEO
Jim Weiss, LLC
PO Box 280
Lynch Station, VA 24571
800.477.6234

greathall@greathall.com
www.jimweiss.com
facebook.com/Greathall
Displaying 1 comment
Anne Egli April 22, 2018

Loved your articles on Home Furnishings and Home Library. Can't imagine a home without lots of books. When the kids were growing up we spent almost every evening reading to them and it's one of the things I miss most about the kids being gone. Our grandchildren read a lot and I'm always on the lookout for books for them, they go through them so fast. Really like G.A. Henty, great author and fascinating books for older kids and adults. Must admit I was glad when I could read books I enjoyed too, not just little kids' books. Sorry I get so far behind on my emails, trying to catch up again!