Accidents will happen

היום שנים ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וארבעה ימים בעמר
Today is thirty-two days, which is four weeks and four days of the omer
נצח שבהוד
A day of perseverance in a week of humility

I knocked over a glass of wine tonight on the table where I was also doing some Torah study. On the table was my new book, From God to Verse, which I wrote about the other day. I caught the spill early and little damage was done to the book. But it's red wine, and the stains on the edges will always remain.

On one hand, I'm bummed. It's a brand new book, some would say a sacred book, as it is a translation of theTorah. I hate that it is, in some ways, marred so early in its life. But on the other hand (I have 5 fingers :), it shows that the book is used--not stuck on a shelf for show. It lives where I live, and real life is not a neat experience.

I love books, but I will not revere them to extent that they become separate from my life. I shouldn't willfully harm them, but stuff happens. I would rather hold my books near and deal with the accidents that may occur, than feel the need to treat them so gingerly that I can only use them in pristine conditions. Those that are expensive and/or in fragile condition need special care--I won't eat or drink near them, nor take them to a beach. And I will certainly be careful around books that are not my own.

I like to buy books so I can treat them as my own. I underline many books for future reference, and some books will be around when accidents happen. But those marks will shown their importance in my life and in my thoughts. In some ways, they are badges of honor.