The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

66 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 3 Journey of Imagination Celeste Ashley Celeste Ashley wrote this essay as a senior in high school, and is now a college sophomore studying writing. She adores reading, relishes writing, enjoys photography, and passionately loves cheese and the color blue. Spending time with her fabulous family and fantastic friends is one of her all-time favorite pastimes. She plays piano and violin, has lived in five different states, and was homeschooled K-12. She wishes for nothing but that her writing will glorify God and convey His truth in such a way that it brings her readers closer to Him. Iwander blissfully through the spacious library, upanddown row after row, each brimming with books. The murmur of hushed voices around me creates a tranquil atmosphere. Fellow book lovers browse the shelves as librarians return books to their homes. I could work in a library, utterly surrounded by books. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and exhale a sigh of satisfaction. The faint, pleasant aroma of paper and ink—the musty, mysterious smell of ancient, falling-apart books and the crisp, starchy scent of books just off the press—seeps through every fiber of my body. I am practically in heaven. Although I’ve already gathered all the books I can borrow this time, I gaze longingly at the numerous ones I cannot. Brushing my fingertips along the spines of the volumes, I dream of the wonderful stories that lie enclosed between those covers. I imagine the fantasies swirling around my hand and over my head, begging to be picked up, beckoning me to unleash their potency. These are tales of adventure, danger, love, suspense, magic, and mystery; stories that captivate my imagination, imprisoning it until the last word on the last, crisp page; legends that enchant me; words that evoke distinct emotions; novels that envelop me and all my senses through their transportation into another’s life. These are made-up stories of girls who step through a magic mirror in fancy clothes and are transported to a life based on their apparel; diaries of real princesses; mysteries solved by Nancy Drew or the Hardy