Regular readers may recall that I use my local library a lot, and
the benefit I appreciate the most is being able to request a book or movie from
any of the locations within my regional library system. When you live in a small, rural town with a
tiny little library, the ability to request an inter-library loan makes a huge
difference in the amount and type of material available to you. Of course, the larger the library system, the
more people who can request books so, sometimes, I end up waiting weeks or even
months for something especially popular.
But patience is a virtue and my patience was once again rewarded when I
was finally notified that the most recent edition of “100 Parks,
5,000 Ideas” had been delivered to my local library for me.
The book is a beautiful one, thick with ideas and enticing
photographs, but what struck me and stayed with me was author Joe Yogerst’s
very first sentence in the book’s introduction:
“I cannot imagine my life without
parks.” It actually stopped me in my
tracks because I realized at that moment that the sentiment he voiced applied
to my own life, as well. In giving it
more thought, I realized that, for me, it all began with the Family Picnic.
