Opinion: Penning a very belated thank you note

As soon as my brothers and I were old enough to write, we had one hard and fast rule at our house: If we received a gift, we weren’t allowed to use it until a thank-you note was written.

On this day after Christmas, I realize I’ve been in violation of that rule for a gift I’ve received in increments for the past quarter century or so. I’m using this column to pen a public thank you, in part because I know many of you have received this same gift.

Denise Burnett, this one’s for you.

Denise has been the director of the Portales Public Library for the past 32 years. She retired this month, but not before being a source of so many good things for me and my family and our community that I almost don’t know where to begin.

We were not regular patrons of the Portales Public Library when I was growing up. Since we didn’t come to town often enough to make a two-week checkout time feasible, our thirst for reading was quenched with boxes of books lugged home from the visiting bookmobile that made monthly stops at our Pep post office.

Sometime after I was well grown — and those visits to town became more regular — I became a patron at the Portales Public Library.

Denise is the only director I’ve known well, and from the beginning, she’s been a treasure.

While I enjoyed occasionally checking out books and attending programs, it was when we made the decision to home school our young daughter that the library became a central part of our existence.

Thanks to Denise’s steady leadership and caring heart, the Portales Public Library has been our home away from home ever since.

Our daughter grew up being as comfortable in the library as she was in our living room — surrounded by books she loved and a library staff she adored, and in an environment where she was cherished.

Denise was as good a friend to that little 7-year-old girl as she was to every other person who walked through those doors, treating her with respect and consideration, and engaging her in sincere and meaningful conversations.

As my aging father developed macular degeneration, Denise found large print books she knew he’d enjoy, and helped line us up for services that enabled him to enjoy the written word until the end of his life.

Then, when my mother’s memory began to wander away and trips to Portales became a challenge, Denise welcomed her with so much tenderness and love that I am teary-eyed in remembrance.

My mom spent many happy hours in the library at her very own table (in her eyes) in her very own chair (pity any unsuspecting patron who unknowingly tried to sit there).

Denise would sit and visit with her, bring books that she knew my mother would love, and make sure that an elderly and slightly confused woman felt 100 percent safe and secure and oh so welcome.

And I saw this happen again and again. And again.

Not only to my family, but to every patron who walked through that door over those 32 years.

So, Denise Burnett, on this first Christmas of your retirement, thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you for giving your heart to our library and our community, and especially to my family.

You’ve been the best gift ever.

Betty Williamson’s heart is full. Reach her at:

[email protected]