Ode to The Paper Book

I was hoping this day would never come. The day when I’m spending more time reading digital material than printed material. I used to go to the library every week with a bag that resembled a suitcase on wheels. The librarians all knew me by name. I would check out 20-30 books at a time. I didn’t really read more than 2-3 books completely. I just liked to have options when I got home. I spent my leisure time in book stores, office supply stores and libraries.

I loved the smell of a new book, the tactile pleasure of good quality paper at my fingertips. I enjoyed writing in notebooks too. Friends gave me palm size journals as gifts. I wrote in them with .9mm mechanical pencils. I drew sketches in the margins, beside my writing. I underlined whatever I thought important with colored gel pens.

I miss the good old days. Now I download e-books from the library on to my tablet. I read articles by my favorite authors online. I look up words on dictionary.com. I type my daily thoughts and save them on my hard drive. I use an online Bible concordance. I look up recipes online rather than using cookbooks.

I still try to hang on to the old ways. I make a point to read paper versions of the Bible and my devotional, first thing in the morning before I get online. I try to write in my journal first and then type it up on the computer. I buy myself office supplies for my birthday. Once a week, I have what I call an “Economist Lunch”, where I read the print version of the Economist magazine while I eat lunch by myself. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do these things before it feels old-fashioned.

Oh Paper, my friend, I shall miss thee….