Throwing Away Gifts

I went to the Half-Price bookstore today. It is one of my most favorite places to go. I cannot always buy a new book, or a used book, but sometimes going there and perusing the shelves just looking for a new or used book is enough. For me walking through the bookstore is like walking through the woods. Taking a book off the shelf and turning its new or old pages is like turning over a rock—finding a sentence worth remembering is like finding a salamander or a snake. I love going up and down the rows and rows of books neatly shelved, alphabetically, and lined like a platoon of soldiers at the edge of the shelf as opposed to being pushed back against the back of the case. I prefer the nice neat, smooth line of book covers rising and falling vertically as opposed to a jagged line of books rising and falling horizontally.

One book stood out on the shelves today and I scooped it up with all the enthusiasm of a 10 year old scooping up a salamander from under a rock beside a stream. It’s a book, surprisingly, that I did not even know existed. It’s the sequel to a book titled Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey. The book is titled In His Image. Currently, the prequel I own is on loan to a friend. It will be nice to have the set and I’m rather anxious to read this new volume I purchased for a mere $7.98. But there was something bittersweet about the purchase. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to have the book, in fairly good condition, and at a fraction of the price of a pristine copy. I’m not at all above or below adopting a book that has been ‘put up’ (as in, ‘put up on a shelf’) for adoption. I’m glad I can provide it with a home where it will be well cared for, where it will enjoy adequate ventilation in a temperature controlled environment, and where, every now and again, it will be taken out for a walk and have its ‘dog-ears’ scratched. Still there was something that made me sad about purchasing the book.

Inside the front cover were written these words: With Love from Mrs. O****, June 11, 1995. What this means is that someone was given this book as a gift, with love!, and that they, less than 12 years after receiving the gift, gave it away—even at a small price—to the Half-Price Bookstore—where it would sit neatly on a shelf (a bottom shelf) until someone happened to notice it. I’m thrilled to be the proud new owner, but I can’t help but wonder what precipitated the desire to give the book up for adoption. Were they short on cash? Were they no longer interested in the subject matter? Did it take up unnecessary space on a shelf? Did they get a new copy of the book? Did they have a falling out with the person who gave them the gift in the first place? Did the person who owned it die and leave it as a part of an estate that was sold by someone who didn’t like to read? Just why did this book end up on an anonymous shelf, with other anonymous books that this book has never met or shared space with before, where someone can come along, buy it, and take it home? How could someone receive a gift and so callously throw it away? How can a gift be so meaningless, so cheap, so easily let go of? There are a lot of reasons to get rid of gifts. I’m not sure I understand any of them.

I’m rather the opposite when I receive gifts. I have gifts that I have received more than 12 years ago. I cling to them—and, when appropriate, I use them with enthusiasm, and I cherish them with delight. That someone would think so highly of me as to give me a gift and what’s more, the gift of a book! I have never received a gift-book that I have not used (or at least read) or that I have decided to give away later. I even have a book from some folks that did not like me, nor I particularly they, that I will not part with (and they signed it too!). Furthermore, when it comes to gift-books, I’m more than willing to look them straight in the mouth! That’s just me though.

I suppose everyone is different. Everyone has reasons for holding on to gifts and reasons for discarding them. If you happen to read this and realize that I am writing about your copy of In His Image, the one that was a gift from Mrs. O**** on June 11, 1995, would you please leave a note and let me know why you parted with it? I will be more than happy to return it to you if you want it, if you had to sell it for money reasons, or if it was accidentally sold by someone you did not authorize to sell it. Just let me know. If you don’t want it back please know that I will give this book a great home with a view. I will walk it, talk it to it, listen to it, and scratch it dog-ears. We will be best friends.