Continuing a Tradition

Last year after I moved to Wilmington, my now eighty-eight year old Aunt Margaret asked me if I would like to join her Book Club. Of course I said yes, and today's meeting started my second year with them. The new president made nice booklets of info for each of us, and on the first page she had written that the Tuesday Book Club was founded in 1942. Margaret had told me it was the oldest book club in town, but knowing the actual date really made it come alive.
The women in the group started talking about what was going on that year. The main thing for me was my mother and daddy's wedding, but of course for the rest of the world the main thing was World War II. We talked about how all Americans had to sacrifice for the war effort, and how books were probably expensive then. This book club was set up so that each woman bought one book and brought it to the first meeting. Then on a monthly basis, the books were swapped around in an orderly manner.
The protocol that was established in 1942 is the way the club runs today, from the serving of the tea and coffee, to the reading of the minutes, to the close of the book report.
I almost feel as if I am part of history when I am there.