My Reflection

Business has been slow, but quite honestly that has been good. As someone new to the business world, this has given me time to be intentional in the space I create. Cultivating an environment that makes everyone feel valued and welcome is important to me. I know that may sound altruistic and unachievable. However, this weekend I received the sweetest affirmation that I am on the right path.

I named my bookstore Reflections after listening to Grace Lin’s TEDx Talk describing books as both “windows and mirrors”. (Click here if you are interested in watching. It will be worth your time.) In creating my altruistic space, I realized I needed books where everyone could find reflections of themselves. This caused me to slowly build my book collection. I started with Spanish/English bilingual books that represented my culture. I branched out to include Chinese/English bilingual books that made my granddaughter feel seen. I added in children’s books with Black protagonists understanding that books with Black protagonists are typically marginalized. These books were the catalyst for a beautiful snap shot in time.

At a recent pop up event, I had the book Daddy’s Arms daughter edition by Fabian Ferguson on display. A family came through and was scanning my display. The father’s eyes began to sparkle with joy as his gaze landed on the book. With a wide toothy grin he picked up the book and said to his daughter, “Look it’s us.” I was so in the moment, I began to gush about how this moment was exactly why I named my bookstore Reflections. He gave a big belly laugh, hugged his daughter close, held the book to his cheek and said, “We can be your next photo op.” Upon reflection, I believe this is the stuff core memories are made of.