10,000 Books

Right now my private library holds a little over a thousand books, but I like to imagine it one day reaching ten thousand. Not because I will ever read them all, but because collecting books feels like collecting seeds of knowledge.

When someone visits for the first time, I often hand them a book from the shelf. Inside the first page I note when and where I bought it, so they know this book had its own little journey before reaching them.

The shelves are surrounded by a few quiet guardians of knowledge. Saraswati with her veena, Ganesh lying down reading, Manjushree cutting through ignorance, and a warm chubby Buddha lost in a book. Their presence makes the library feel alive. One day this collection will not be mine anymore. I hope it will find its way into schools, libraries, or simply to people who will enjoy them. The spirit behind this comes from karma yoga, to act without attachment, to let go, and to feel everything and everyone as part of yourself. Books are part of that flow. They come into my life, and sooner or later, they will move on to someone else’s.