Rows and rows of books; the building still smells like Starbucks coffee. What fond memories of countless hours spent sitting in a nook of this grand store, mulling over a vast arrray of books and always finding research subjects
A heartfelt empathy for the friendly employees of Borders, who will now find themselves out of work. Can you here that sound? It is the sound of the unemployment rate rising.
There seems to be an air of sadness, people roaming around wondering what they should purchase. The cashiers once chipper, now endless monotone voice repeating herself ... "All sales are final."
Immediately, I go to my favorite section looking up I see the labels "Holistic Health, Healthy Cooking, Natural Medicine." Sighing out loud, I reach up to the top shelf like many times I have done before, it hits me; this will probably be the last time I am here.
"Take a mental picture because the future of digital is here. Go with it, don't fight it," I tell myself.
The generation-X, no doubt does not feel the same. I wonder if they even understand how to research the old fashion way, without a computer.
For example, my daughter was frustrated one day when she could not figure out an answer on a homework paper. She tried countless searches on the internet, when finally she turned to me and asked me to help her. I said, "Did you look at the back of your text book for the phrase associated with the question?"
She shrugged her shoulders, went to the back of the textbook and found the reference page. Within seconds she had her answer. She was amazed, I was even more amazed.
This is what the future is to bring, a generation of point and click individuals, who have not been taught how to do the simplest of things like searching for key words at the back of a book.
Cherish today, don't take anything for granted. Tomorrow brings a new world, soon there will museums devoted to books and brick and mortar stores.
There will be a day I will be telling stories to my grandchildren of how "back in the day" people actually went to the store and bought books, clothes and jewelry etc. In response they will be shaking their heads in disbelief and saying, “you mean you actually had to drive to the store to buy something?"
And the response will be like my parents before me, “yes I even had to drive in the rain, sleet and snow.”
Stories around the world of Borders closing
http://www.bing.com/search?q=borders+closing&form=MSNH14&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-15
