Endings are Beginnings
Today is my last day with San Diego County Libraries. It's been a fantastic run. Yesterday my co-workers at the Alpine Branch had a farewell party for me. We're a small branch with 4 permanent positions and a student worker, Kelly. We all gathered in the back room for carrot cake and conversation and presents. The card they gave me expressed their love for me and support for moving on to pursue my dreams. The gift - a treasure box decoupaged with a map of the world. Inside, a fairy holding a butterfly in her wee hands. I, of course, wept at this outpouring of love and support.
This has been the way of it with SDCL. From the very beginning as a substitute at the Descanso Branch, I have been loved and supported along my path. When my house burned down in 2002 they were there with gifts, love, money....people I didn't even know. And when the big fire happened in 2003, the library - no, the people - were on the other end of the phone wanting to know where I was, how I was, how could they help? When I couldn't come home, there was a place to live for me and my cat for 6 weeks. Always, always this governmental bureaucracy has been about love. We are trained that way in the Academy to tend to our patron's needs, questions, concerns. We rarely, if ever, say no. WE can, and we want to help.
This blog today is in tribute to the library and particularly to the people who so fundamentally understand that human nature is divine. Everyday they support that individual divinity, that individual God-chip in each of us to be free, to fly, to learn, to become, to realize Who We Really Are. Everyday in every library across this country (God Bless Dewey!), librarians and library techs work to serve that individual freedom to think, to learn, to dream, to create, to become. I will go so far as to say that if there is any one single place in America where Real freedom lives and is at play every single day, it is only at the library. The library protects your right to read anything you desire and it protects your PRIVACY to do so.
The library is the place that demonstrates Real freedom. Every single idea is welcomed for you to peruse, to chew on, to espouse, to reject. And every single idea is welcomed, because that's the nature of God, all inclusive, all are welcomed here. We get to choose that which we focus on.
When I was working in the La Mesa Branch (I love you guys!), I was privy, over time, to watch an immigrant couple from Russia. They had broken English, at best. Once I had signed them up with their cards and had explained, best I could, the library, they were astounded that this was all free. They went to work. First, they checked out English tapes and books, then elocution tapes, soon they were checking out books about business and importing and exporting. Then there were books about websites and web businesses. And then, from the public PC's they began an importing business. There it is. Everything you could possibly need to become, to realize your dreams. In the library there is only: "let's see how we can...."support you, find what you need, because we see Who You Are; Because we believe in You.
We work with the public in the library. The general public. We see everyone, all socio-economic levels, all intelligence levels, all races, creeds and beliefs walk through those doors. We love and support each and every one where they are and where they dream to go.
The San Diego County Libraries are generally funded by County Property Taxes. We are for the first time solvent and actually thriving. We have dedicated management with visionary thinking, we have devoted employees with heartfelt love of humanity. If the world is to change and become something better, you can believe it will have its inception and support in libraries in someway. Libraries are not only the place where Real Freedom lives and is applied every day, they are the place where applied spirituality is lived and applied every day, for every individual God-chip desiring something, imagining something, aspiring to something, is answered, honored and supported.
My personal experience with SDCL is not unique, but my gratitude for It, the institution, is boundless, and especially to the friends and people of the library, the Friends of the Libraries, you loved and supported me well. You taught me much. I so thank you.
Thanks for reading! k
This has been the way of it with SDCL. From the very beginning as a substitute at the Descanso Branch, I have been loved and supported along my path. When my house burned down in 2002 they were there with gifts, love, money....people I didn't even know. And when the big fire happened in 2003, the library - no, the people - were on the other end of the phone wanting to know where I was, how I was, how could they help? When I couldn't come home, there was a place to live for me and my cat for 6 weeks. Always, always this governmental bureaucracy has been about love. We are trained that way in the Academy to tend to our patron's needs, questions, concerns. We rarely, if ever, say no. WE can, and we want to help.
This blog today is in tribute to the library and particularly to the people who so fundamentally understand that human nature is divine. Everyday they support that individual divinity, that individual God-chip in each of us to be free, to fly, to learn, to become, to realize Who We Really Are. Everyday in every library across this country (God Bless Dewey!), librarians and library techs work to serve that individual freedom to think, to learn, to dream, to create, to become. I will go so far as to say that if there is any one single place in America where Real freedom lives and is at play every single day, it is only at the library. The library protects your right to read anything you desire and it protects your PRIVACY to do so.
The library is the place that demonstrates Real freedom. Every single idea is welcomed for you to peruse, to chew on, to espouse, to reject. And every single idea is welcomed, because that's the nature of God, all inclusive, all are welcomed here. We get to choose that which we focus on.
When I was working in the La Mesa Branch (I love you guys!), I was privy, over time, to watch an immigrant couple from Russia. They had broken English, at best. Once I had signed them up with their cards and had explained, best I could, the library, they were astounded that this was all free. They went to work. First, they checked out English tapes and books, then elocution tapes, soon they were checking out books about business and importing and exporting. Then there were books about websites and web businesses. And then, from the public PC's they began an importing business. There it is. Everything you could possibly need to become, to realize your dreams. In the library there is only: "let's see how we can...."support you, find what you need, because we see Who You Are; Because we believe in You.
We work with the public in the library. The general public. We see everyone, all socio-economic levels, all intelligence levels, all races, creeds and beliefs walk through those doors. We love and support each and every one where they are and where they dream to go.
The San Diego County Libraries are generally funded by County Property Taxes. We are for the first time solvent and actually thriving. We have dedicated management with visionary thinking, we have devoted employees with heartfelt love of humanity. If the world is to change and become something better, you can believe it will have its inception and support in libraries in someway. Libraries are not only the place where Real Freedom lives and is applied every day, they are the place where applied spirituality is lived and applied every day, for every individual God-chip desiring something, imagining something, aspiring to something, is answered, honored and supported.
My personal experience with SDCL is not unique, but my gratitude for It, the institution, is boundless, and especially to the friends and people of the library, the Friends of the Libraries, you loved and supported me well. You taught me much. I so thank you.
Thanks for reading! k
Labels: applied spirituality, freedom, gratitude, libraries, San Diego County Library
posted by Kath at
12:47 PM
1 Comments:
Just a comment:
Kathy,
You definitely seem to have a bright future in the writing world. Beautiful blog/thoughts. Thanks for sharing. Good luck!
-rudy
Librarian / SDCL, IB.
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