During the toddler years, I piled my three small children into the car at 9am twice a week en route to the local library. When they were very young, they sat for reading circles and participated in craft classes related to books. As they got older, they joined reading programs and summer competitions.
I feel nostalgic thinking about snack bags clutched by dimpled toddler hands as we meandered our way from the minivan into the library.
We spent hours searching shelves, the kids eyeing up DVDs (pre-streaming days) which were a special treat after we picked out our books and read for a while. My eyes followed tiny legs exploring titles, sometimes standing in the same space for a half hour, unable to put down a picture book.
Like many parents, we were just starting out and didn’t have lots of money or lofty professional titles during the toddler years. No matter the achievements or earnings in the subsequent life seasons, nothing brought that level of leisure or contentment. Walking into the library on a clear, crisp autumn morning with my three little people… I was so happy.
The library is one of the few spaces where time slows. American culture tends to resist a slow pace of life. Unhurried feels less productive. Some friends couldn’t wait for the six weeks post-birth for daycare drop off to “get busy again”. Life felt too slow, thus frustrating for them.
For me, those were easy years. There were tantrums and a steady mess on the floor. But there was giggling, playfulness, wide-eyes learning something new every day. Others complained about toddler days dragging, while I relished the slow time.
A few months ago, I renewed a very outdated library card. I was shocked there were still “cards” and not some app I needed to download and scan upon arrival/checkout. As mentioned during my moving posts – I donated a couple hundred books last summer but still have many. I have a tendency to buy books more than borrow them. But, I’ve been back to the library several times since renewing the card, and I plan to continue.
The only thing missing as I wander into the library: my three little people, now young adults. Sigh.
If you have not been to the library in a while, National Library Week is a wonderful time to return!📚
National Library Week: April 6th – April 12th 2025
Thank you for reading! Have a good day!
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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