A Blank Page

I meandered through the store, touching, caressing books, so many ideas, thoughts and stories transported on the pages. Signs were posted above the shelves, identifying the current sale prices. My heart sank as I strolled through the departments. I felt like my best friend was moving away. To Iceland. The diminished inventory reminded me of the second day of a garage sale. As I have stated before in my blog, I love books. I enjoy looking at my own copies, occasionally lifting one from the shelf for no other reason than to fondly recall, to appreciate. Imagining Good Night Moon on a diminutive screen sends chills up my spine. Little children perched around the elfin book, mesmerized by the grayness of it all. With the closure of Borders, I wonder what the future holds for the written word and for the publishing industry in general. Understanding change is good, and besides I don't really know the CEO of Borders so making a phone call would be pointless, I know I need to make peace with this deal and move forward. Perhaps drive to Powell's. Dust off Who Moved My Cheese? Or publish my own story on-line. Like a blank page neatly arranged in a typewriter, waiting for the first click of the key, there are still stories and tales to unfold, to be shared with a willing, eager audience. How they will appear to the public, the pages, the words themselves, remain to be seen for many authors. If the on-line world and the publishing companies agreed to marry, a seemingly perfect union in my eyes, we could have the best of both worlds. Books to hold and cherish, stores that cater to the tactile loving public and e-books that honor the ability to download scores of inexpensive titles while texting your spouse a grocery list. A blank page is an opportunity, a risk, a chance to make a difference. I wonder if the words will mean the same if I discover them on a Kindle. Will they leap out, capture me in their originality, hold me hostage for days as I dwell on the richness, the meaning, the creativity. Maybe. A blank page is a blank page.