Buy A Book

I had to finish up some last minute Christmas shopping today and headed to one of my favorite places.....Barnes and Noble. I grabbed what I needed and entered a rather short check-out line. After the clerk tapped my purchases into the register, he asked me if I would like to buy a book to donate to Hasbro Children's Hospital's playroom. My answer was an immediate yes. I quickly glanced over the bookcase and picked one of my old favorites Charlotte's Web.

The clerk added handed me a book plate to put in it with a to and from line. I filled in Sloane's name on the from line and handed it back to the clerk. I paid for my purchases and walked to the car. Once I was buckled in, I was flooded with emotions for 2 very different yet very similar reasons. 

Years ago before I was married to my hubby, I volunteered with a friend at Hasbro. We worked the playroom for the 5 to 9 year olds every Saturday night 4pm to 9pm. We spent 9 months with the kids. It was a very special time in my life. The experience changed me. I did enjoy playing and visiting with the children, but it was very eye opening to see long-term ill children each week. And heart wrenching when some of those children werent there the next week. I cried for that reason and the reason that Sloane was a patient as Hasbro. I was weepy. I cried the whole ride home. 

All sorts of visions screamed across my mind. Ones from my volunteering years. I thought about the nights I would read to child by their bed. I thought about the nights I would try to get the kids to pick a book from the bins to take back to their rooms by giving all the details of interest I could. I thought about the nights I wished some child would be well enough to be read to.

Visions from Sloane's first days raced around in my head. The reality that I was one of the Hasbro parents. I was teary because there are still children at Hasbro needing a book to read or an ear to listen to them. As I was driving, sniffling, and reminiscing, all the realities came flooding back. I bought a book for a child and in return I got a reality check from myself.