Donald Miller

I love getting e-mails from friends - they're like invisible, internet hugs and they always brighten my day. Just the other day, I received a really, REALLY exciting e-mail from a dear friend of mine. I know that he, like me, loves to read. In fact, he and his wife are the only other couple I know who go to the bookstore when they are out on a date together. There are few places I would rather be - I absolutely love bookstores. As soon as I enter, I hesitate until I've come to a complete stop just inside the doors. I've apologized to people who've slammed into me before, but I can't help myself. It's as if the atmospheric oxygen levels change and I must completely breathe in that sweet smell of books before I am able to move forward. Anyone who loves to read, knows this aroma of which I speak. I hope there's a part of heaven that smells like books. New books. Books that are thick and rich with well-written literature that so beautifully weaves the written word into a reality we can only step into when we read.  Ahhh...

It's a good thing that my husband also enjoys bookstores.  We love to go together. We are, however, much different in our choices when it comes to what we read. My husband likes pictures in his books. The more the better. When we go to the bookstore together and I share a book with him, he almost always says, "There's not enough pictures." Personally, I don't like pictures in my books as I enjoy forming images that the words have created in my own mind. My husband thinks this is all just a lot of extra work when they could just include a picture. We've agreed to disagree here. Fortunately, we've passed the bookstore gene onto all of our children as they, too, love to read.

Not long ago, three years maybe, I went through a life-changing bookstore experience when I stumbled into an amazing author, one who weaves words together so creatively, so beautifully, that I can only call him a clever, literary genius. At least to me, he is. When I read his books, he's speaking directly to me. I understand his logic and his perspective. I echo much of his philosophy. There's an intimacy to his writing that I can't explain. I've said it out loud before, that I'd love to hear him speak. About anything. I'd love to listen to how he thinks and how he ticks. I think I might be a groupie. I've never been a groupie before, except for a God groupie. I follow Him everywhere. I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a literary groupie. Sounds nerdy, but I think I am one. I'm a Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) groupie.

Lately, my trips to the bookstores have been disappointing. I walk right over to the Religion section and look for my author, Miller. There they are, his works of genius. I own every one and have read them all twice. I keep looking for a new one. About a month ago, while I was in the bookstore with my kids, I talked myself into the idea that I should write to Donald Miller and explain that I needed a fix. Like a junk-food-junkie needs his cupcakes, I need my Donald Miller books. New books. Like one every month or two would be perfect. By the time I left the bookstore that day and made it home, I forgot about writing the letter. So, I didn't.

Well, this e-mail that I got the other day, from my friend, was about Donald Miller's new book! I could barely contain my glee. I know that my friend shares the same admiration for this author and so it is only appropriate that he should be the one to break the news to me. In fact, my friend is so tight with Mr. Miller that he merely refers to him as, Don. I use his whole name, Donald Miller, because it just flows off my tongue that way. My friend feels a closeness with Mr. Miller that enables him to refer to him as his buddy, Don. We know, when we're talking with each other, that we are talking about the same genius.

Just when I thought the news about Don's new book could not get any better, my friend tells me that my Donald Miller is coming to town at the end of the month. To speak. Never mind that it's a weeknight, an hour from my house and two hours from my friend's house, we're going. We included my husband in the invitation to come along, but he's not interested in hearing Donald Miller speak. Apparently, my husband does not find him to be the literary giant that I do. Besides, he says, he won't be holding up any pictures when he talks.

Comments

[KC]

Too funny! Yes, Don and I are tight. If you have not read it, pick up a copy of "If You Want to Write" by Brenda Ueland. Another great book that you will like.

[S]

Thanks for the book suggestion...I'm off to the bookstore AGAIN.