My old friend Cammie Bright is a multi-faceted woman. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, but also smart as a whip. In high school, she managed to achieve the most coveted spot among the beautiful people: She was the Captain of the Po-Hi Steppers, our military style drill team of lovely young ladies in the 11th & 12th grade. Yet, she was just as comfortable with the— how shall we say—more non-conformist debate team and drama club members, the “Truckers.” (A note of disclosure, I was in neither category, but was in the humble marching band/orchestra caste.)
Now living in California, with her family, she is a lawyer, with the heart of the thespian. Cammie has a certain joie de vivre. Through social media I am delighted by her posts that range from her theatre work and travels to her children’s adventures, and much, much more. Today, I noticed a Facebook posting from Cammie so fantastic that I had to write about it.
Eb, Cammie’s lawyer husband, who is apparently also handy with power tools, created their own “Little Free Library,” which is proudly displayed curbside at their home. It looks to be a cross between a bird house and a mailbox: an open invitation to friends, neighbors and passers-by to “take a book, share a book, or leave a book.” It’s a sweet visible expression of “paying it forward,” a rather over-used expression, these days. I love it, and I wish I could replicate it! From time to time in my office, people will leave trashy romance novels in the common kitchen area, with post-it notes saying, “help yourself.” This is not the same. And, even in my high-rise apartment building, there is a shelf outside the gym with cast-off books where people are invited to take the book orphans. But, Eb and Cammie have created a most wonderful expression of a welcoming home, their imaginative spirits, and, of course, a love of books.
I hope that some of their house-dwelling friends will follow suit. And, please, send pictures! As for me, I will have to be content to bundle up a few of my extra books and send it to the Bright Family Free Library for circulation in their community.