Expat Cats

One of the my new found favorite bookstores, Candida's World of Books, on 14th Q St, NW, in DC, is going to close its business by the end of this month.

I first went there two weekends ago. I thought that this place was going to be my frequent destination. I also thought that I would earn a good rest and enjoy the cultural atmosphere as I acquired the spirit of the world from all ethnic codes.

One of the most intriquing reasons that invited me there was because I could relate with the openness of the bookstore owners and the essences of the books from around the world. All kinds of genres and all sorts of languages were displayed on the shelf. I felt the world in my hands. My heart kept dancing.

I visited this shop again this afternoon because of a big store closing sale. I listened to several dialogues between loyal customers and the owner. They asked incessantly, "How did this happen? Why are you closing?" A couple of customers walked in with a bouquet and bid farewell.

At one point, the owners answered, "It has been a great experience. We need to move on."

I heard both a challenge and the charm in those answers. I felt that as I picked up a children's book named "Expat Cats," a story of two cats who migrated to the United States Of America. The cats were from the United Arab Emirates. In one provoking line, it said, "It took a lot of courage and faith for the cats to migrate."

I couldn't stop thinking about the two bookstore owners who opened this lovely bookshop and kept it open for four years, the two Expat cats with their adventures in America, and my own two year and 8 month adventure in America.

We need a lot of courage and faith to undertake a new journey which is usually full of challenges and charms.

TAN