Book Tree

I love a bookstore. As a kid, we’d shop at The Book Tree, owned by identical twin brothers, Barry & Terry. Sometimes my books were free. Well, sort of free because they gave you store credit for trading in books. Mostly, I enjoyed going because they got to know me and what I liked. They recommended books I’d never heard of by authors I didn’t know. Their recommendations were excellent. They did not recommend the same thing to everyone; they recommended books I’d like based on what they learned about me.

Scrolling through an endless folder of pictures would be far less interesting than looking at just a couple of pictures and hearing the story of the event. I enjoyed hearing my grandparents talk about that day, the people, and what triggered the desire to memorialize that experience with a picture. Similarly, when we learn about people, we can begin to curate for them. When we share our stories, we make connections that didn’t exist before.

What are we the experts of that we can share with others? Do I know you well enough to curate for your needs? Can I build connections and highlight the important things amidst the excess?

Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.