Today I helped a family new to the United States get library cards. After giving them the rundown on what a library membership means, I showed the kids the children’s area. The mother told them they could each check out two books. The smallest child, a girl of seven, picked out two small board books.

“Are you sure you don’t want a picture book?” I asked her, showing her a few new ones on display.

“Too much money,” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“These cost less, right? They smaller.”

It hit me what she was saying: she was trying to save her parents money by choosing the smallest books.

“Do you know what?” I said. “All of this is free, no money. You can choose whichever books you want.“

She turned her head to look at the shelves of books and gasped at the bounty. She wandered away without another word and I watched her pick up book after book, shuffling through each one, making little piles, studying each one intently. I’ve never been more proud I chose this career.

[Previously published by me on Sunshine Games.]