Books Bridge Society’s Widening Gap

Jennifer Sadera
Aug 17
4 min read

I’ve spent a great deal of time lately thinking about the word connection. What it really means to be connected to others and why that’s important.

Perhaps the years are simply slipping by too fast for my liking, transforming me into a sentimental dinosaur.

Yearning for places and times that have long-since vanished. Missing those I’ve lost along life’s high-speed highway.

Maybe it’s the writer in me, but I find immeasurable (and often bittersweet) joy in pondering what came before.

When I do, a slideshow of isolated moments stream through my mind: Splayed out on my childhood lawn with best buddies, staring at the sky to “find” familiar figures in the clouds; jumping off cliffs into cool water and sailing all afternoon with adventurous friends; the time I tried not to laugh when my son licked his ice cream right off the cone, the dripping vanilla sphere caught mid-air by our surprisingly athletic shih tzu; traveling near and far with my husband who is my hands-down bestie; staring in awe at my newborn grandchild, overcome by the idea of my daughter having her own baby girl; languid afternoons on the porch of our summer home enjoying the company of family and friends, talking about everything under the sun.

Memories, connection...

These memories—and a million more—tie me to others, and to the wider world. Connection in a way that isn’t forced or manufactured.

Spontaneous, organic, visceral links to the physical and spiritual forces that make us human. I miss the days of not even knowing such an existence could be in jeopardy. Now, children spend more time on tablets than romping on playgrounds, teens increasingly socialize exclusively through video games, young people meet through dating apps, and everyone seems to favor streaming movies alone in their living rooms to sharing the experience with others in theaters.

The AI alarm

I’ve sounded the AI alarm in a previous post. The threat is real to those of us who create, but every aspect of life promises to be vastly different in the not-too-distant future.

In an increasingly automated world, connecting with other human beings in meaningful ways threatens to become a challenge.

Many of us get swept up in the convenience and hype of the modern age. Self-driving cars, social media platforms that replace face-to-face encounters, smart appliances, and cell phones that do everything but take out the trash and wash your hair. These—and the promised robot in every household within the next decade—have surpassed fad status. They have become our way of life.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have free will, my friends.

There are plenty of us on the frontlines fighting to preserve the things that bring us joy: faith, family, friends, and work (be it a meaningful profession that gives us a sense of worth, or the effort we put into helping others. Or, for many of us, both).

The Traveler's Book Club

A few years ago, I joined a group with a unique premise—The Traveler’s Book Club, based out of Poughkeepsie, New York. I discovered that not only did I have the same curiosity and wanderlust as my new reader friends—each of us inspired by group founder, Lori Rolison’s vision of sharing a big, wide world of stories and traveling the globe through books—but that the amazing women I now call friends each rely upon the four principles I just mentioned—faith (be it traditional or a spiritual link with the universe), family, friends, and work. These four pillars form the happiness that make the good times even better and sustain us when life’s circumstances become challenging. One friend, fellow “traveler” Tina Vaitkus, took the “work” portion of that pillar to heart and created a magical way to share stories with anyone and everyone!

Books Just Because

“Books Just Because started with a simple thought: what if we shared books the way we give gifts—with beautiful bows, personal, and unexpected—just because?” Tina recalls. “Lori and I had been talking about how much joy we find in wrapping paper, ribbons, and handwritten notes, and it just clicked. Books have been such a huge part of our lives and friendships, and we wanted to create a ripple of connection in our community, leaving surprise books in unexpected places."

"No strings, no agenda—just the right book, at the right time, to the right person. Just because.”

“Lori and I dreamed up the concept together,” she continues. “Over our shared love of books, wrapping paper, and the giddiness we both feel when giving surprise gifts. While Lori didn’t want to take on the responsibility of turning it into a nonprofit, she gave me her full blessing and has been cheering me on every step of the way. And of course, she’s one of our biggest Story Sprites—leaving books everywhere she goes.”

One hurdle to project success was people’s politeness. Most folks who see a book in a public place think someone accidentally left it there—and would pick up the item only to find owner information. For this reason, Tina and Lori decided to leave little notes on the beautifully wrapped reads so that anyone happening upon a book on a park bench, on a retaining wall—or in any other area frequented by many people—would realize it was meant for them and not left at the spot by accident.

Tina knows a bit about marketing and promoting ideas, using skills she learned as an educator, radio personality, and real estate pro. The expertise she acquired leading major fundraising campaigns inspired hundreds to join meaningful, people-powered projects—a solid foundation for turning her love of books, ribbon, and spontaneous generosity into this nationwide literary kindness movement.

Like me, Tina raised two (now grown) kids of whom she is fiercely proud and makes her home in New York’s Hudson Valley. She has an unapologetically large ribbon collection, and a husband, Eero, who’s always game for a book-drop detour.

Want to be a part of this inspiring organization?

Join the Books Just Because movement and help spread kindness and connection in your own community.

To learn more and inspire readers with your favorite books, check out: booksjustbecause.carrd.co. And if you’ve got a great book-sharing idea or a brilliant way to promote Books Just Because, please post it on my website: Jennifersadera.com.