Renewal

 

For decades there stood in my library a copy of Sign of a Promise and Other Stories, my very first book, published in 1979 by something we called "Dordt College Press." Inside the cover, I scribbled "First Edition, First Copy" because that one was, in fact, the very first copy. It was very precious.

Was because it's gone. The library behind me still has three copies of that first book, but none of them bear that inscription because the one that did is long gone, drowned in our flood. Sad. If I had it, I'd show you right here, but it's history.

Yesterday I thought about missing that copy, but I did so without great pain because a new box showed up at our door (thank you, FedEx) filled with 30 copies of another book, my last (but maybe not my all-time last), Stories and their Stories, a book of my own short stories and comments about what set me on the path of each of their plotlines. 

So, pardon me for a moment while I put a copy of this brand new book into my library. I'm just as proud as I was 48 years ago.

Just older--lots older.