It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

November and December are my favorite months to look at magazines, and this year, having let my subscriptions lapse, I was happy to be able to read holiday issues of all my favorites at the Library. The December 2010 Good Housekeeping magazine has two articles that I found particularly interesting.

Did you know that the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” started as a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern that first appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine in December 1944? “It’s a Wonderful Life” was the December film feature at the library, so I was interested to read the story upon which it was based. You can find this short story, The Greatest Gift, reprinted in the December 2010 issue on page 205. Some people make this film an annual holiday tradition, but I hadn’t seen it for a very long time. It reminded me to be thankful for everything in my life – dirty socks and hairballs included.

Then I came to another article in the same issue. This one was called “The Gift of Gratitude,” and included statements from authors, celebrities, and ordinary people telling what they are grateful for. Here are some excerpts from that article:

“My library card. Every hurdle I’ve faced, I have researched my way over at a library. I’m grateful for that part of the American spirit that believes every citizen should have access to books. –Sarah Bird

“Nancy Drew, who made it possible to envision a life beyond fifth grade. She is directly responsible for pointing the way to the career I love so much today. –Jayne Ann Krentz

“Audiobooks. I listen to them while taking my daily walk. Being read to is at once a treat reminiscent of childhood and a privilege that transports me into literature through a whole different portal from the printed page. –Aimee Liu”

A recurring theme in both articles, appropriate to this time of year: the great value that comes from the simple things in life . . . like your library. Imagine the world without libraries, where only those who could afford to buy books were entitled to read them.

This holiday season, appreciate the simple things in your life. Consider the bounty your public library has to offer -- the opportunity to read what you like, to enjoy movies for free, to indulge your passion for music or current events, to follow your interests and fulfill your intellectual needs.

The Management and Staff of Aram Public Library thank you for your support and wish you a very happy and blessed holiday season.