Well Worn, And Loved

I love old books. I love how they look on the shelf, well-worn and loved. They have a history, a story to tell, not only the one inside the cover, but outside as well - as they sit quietly upon the shelf.

They have passed through many hands, and countless eyes have perused their pages over the years. They have been a part of someone's life, spoken to them, been well regarded and cherished. Their words, pages, and binding all connect to the past - to the unseen and forgotten hands and eyes, now part of another world. But the old fingerprints remain, and I glance over the aged leaves - meeting the gaze from yesterday head on, and I wonder who treasured them before me, and who will after.