The hypothetical conversation at dinner last night went something like this:
"What if they made you give up books or music. Forever. Which one would you choose?"
"Who’s ‘they’?"
"The bad people. Who were taking over the world."
"Yeah. Only bad people would make you choose something like this, Mama."
"And you have to choose. You have to."
Torture!
We all agreed.
But then, after much hemming and hawing, we also all agreed that we’d give up… music.
Partly because we worked in a little wiggle room.
We’d be allowed to hum.
We’d be granted music books, which would help us hear music in our heads.
And who can stop a girl from singing in her sleep, after all?
But books?
There was no way around it.
We need ’em.
The girls had looks of utter horror on their faces at the prospect of doing without.
It’s hard to believe that lots of people do. Without, I mean.
Which is why I think that this is as good a time as any to remember our friends at:
and the angels at your local public library.
Because really, nobody should have to do without books.
Tough question! Great Lesson!
Great post, Liz.
I’d let music go too.
I love hearing about this conversations you have around the dinner table. It is so foreign to me. Dinner at my house is where I was to practice being seen but not heard. I wasn’t supposed to get involved in the grown-up conversation. Over time it evolved to me just bringing a book to read at the table and my mother and my grandmother could talk all they wanted to without worrying about me ever saying a word.
Books. But don’t make me choose between books and the Internet!