January 12 In the Olden Days

"Look at this," she grinned. "You can tell exactly who read this book on this list! Shannon, Hae Ni, Lindsay....Do you ever use these in the olden days?"

I thought about telling her that everyone used these in the days before computers.  

I thought about telling her how the old fashioned system with a date stamp made sure you knew when the book was due back.  

I thought about expanding the conversation to the card catalog file as

I thought about the power of Ann Martin's writing to extend across generations of young ones.

I thought about the joy of reading about a group of girls who long ago talked about the same trials and tribulations of growing up even though their world was so very different. But then,

I thought that perhaps their world was not so very different as the joy of friends solving problems is a universal theme. My mind wandered as

I thought about how reading graphic novels about an imaginary babysitter club as spurred an interest in the old fashioned books! As my mind wandered again and I 

I thought about the amazing power of Etsy to share these old books with a new group of avid readers as I kicked myself, again, that of course I gave all her mother's old copies to cousins rather than saving them. Then I smiled as I responded simply to the only question I was asked,

"Yes, I used them in the olden days."