Books, Trees, and Roots

The image above is myself, my two brothers, and sister about 50 years ago. Whew!

Building Roots

Family is so important. Through the highs and lows of life, they’re the constant presence offering support, love, and understanding.

Like many of us, I’ve taken my family and my upbringing for granted at times. Growing up as the youngest of four children, I was fortunate to have a protective structure of loving parents and siblings around me. They cared for me, watched me grow, and were always there to catch me when I fell or to cheer me on as I reached for new heights. Their presence gave me a sense of security that I didn’t fully appreciate until later in life, like the roots of a big tree growing up around me, supporting me.

Much of that growing up and foundational time my mom owned an operated an independent bookstore, coincidentally named after a tree, the Bo Tree. It was around the bookstore that much of us kids spent our time pitching in, or stopping by to chat with my Mom, or my Dad who ended up working nights much of the week after his day job. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that bookstore was the foundation for our family. It was a place to connect and learn, and a place for our parents to teach us a lot about work, learning, and the power of community.

Life at the Bookstore

Now when I look back, and I reconnect with loved ones and friends, I often think of the bookstore and our time together building that business as a family, and all the time we spent there. I think about all the people that would approach me and tell me how they knew my parents from the bookstore, how my parents had helped them with books, or just make connections in the community. I think about my mom coming to my schools to do “book fairs” and making connections with professors in the nearby university.

Looking ahead, I want to invest more in my family and friends. I want to remember my roots, and things like the bookstore that helped shape me, and teach me about the importance of community. What is my bookstore? How am I creating roots and connections with others? What am I investing in that matters?

I realize now that I haven’t been doing enough to maintain those relationships, and I want to change that. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and lose sight of the connections that matter most, but those connections are what give life its richness and meaning. These relationships deserve our time, our energy, and our love, and I’m committed to nurturing them moving forward.

The Giving Tree

No matter how far we go or how deeply we plant our roots elsewhere, there’s always a metaphorical bookstore to come back to if we are so fortunate. A place to rekindle warmth and connection with our past, connect to the present, and reinforce our vision for the future. Right now that’s my old town, my family, friends and memories. They are always there to support me like a big old Bo Tree, and I am thankful for that in my life when I take risks and look towards new directions.

(Bo Tree Books, is aka the Bodhi Tree, learn more here)