As some of you know, I am coming to the end of my time at Lemuria bookstore. The nine months I’ve worked here have been life-giving and filled with fun, excitement, and so much love. I came to Lemuria burned out by the church, seeking a new cathedral filled with books, knowledge of all kinds, and a congregation of people who were not wrapped up in the politics of the church. As I’ve already said, Lemuria gave me new life. But, as we all know, every chapter in this book called life has an end, and at the turn of the page, a new chapter begins. My new adventure will take me to Greenville, Mississippi, where I will become the Senior Pastor at Greenville First United Methodist Church.
Some of you may be thinking, “uhm, you were burnt out by the church, so why are you going back?” Well, the answer to that question would take about 27 blog posts, so I’ll spare you the details. But what I can say is this: as burned out as I was by certain experiences in the church, my time away has given me space to see that I am called, ready, and willing to step back into a role of service for God and God’s people. In Searching for Sunday, Rachel Held Evans writes, “Imagine if every church became a place where everyone is safe, but no one is comfortable. Imagine if every church became a place where we told one another the truth. We might just create sanctuary.” This is what I’m ultimately called to do. And for the past nine months, Lemuria has been that sanctuary for me.
When John opened Lemuria bookstore 40 years ago, I’m not sure he ever thought of it being a sanctuary for people; and I’m sure for some, it hasn’t been. But it was exactly what I needed. I’ve always loved books, but working here has helped me fall in love with books all over again. My love for literature has also expanded. I never saw myself reading Southern Gothic novels, and now, I can’t put them down. There was one stretch where I read four in a row. I am grateful to my coworkers who told me about books I should read: some of them amazing (My Sunshine Away, The Thickety, The Glass Sentence), and some of them, not so amazing (I won’t put them here…). I am grateful that I was able to talk to customers about my favorite books, and hand sell many of them (Short Stories by Jesus, The Secret Wisdom of the Earth, God Help the Child).
I’ve enjoyed standing in the religion section and talking to people about the books that have impacted my life and hearing about the books that have impacted their lives. In thinking about books and their importance, Anne Lamott says it best in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: “For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”
Lemuria. Thank you so much for being you. Thanks so much for a being a place where people’s insatiable love for books can be fed with a bountiful feast of literature. Thanks for being the weird independent bookstore that celebrates children’s book week with a big Harry Potter Extravaganza, where parents can proudly proclaim, “my kid has found her people.”
And thank you customers. Thank you for coming in and talking to us booksellers. It’s amazing how much trust you put into us! The fact that many of you bought books that I recommended without a second question astounds me. I’m not that trusting of people.
I may be moving to Greenville to start this new adventure in life, but I will take all of you with me: in the conversations we’ve had, the books we’ve read together, the dreams I have of wrapping book after book after book after book during Christmas.
Lemuria will always be a second home to me, and even though I’ll be 2 ½ hours away, it is really not a farewell, but more like “see you later”. So, with that being said, see y’all later!
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