© 2020 Sharon Porter
© 2020 The Urantia Book Fellowship
| The Angels of Progress | Fall 2020 Issue — Index | Checkmate: The Progress Angels and the Religious Guardians in Play |
by Sharon Porter
In 1983 my husband, Ted Lanier and I had the opportunity to create and open a bookstore in south Austin, Texas. At the time south Austin was a mecca of openness, liberality and uniqueness. It was pure hippiedom and more. So what were we, both Urantia Book readers doing opening a store in this atmosphere? I now know that it was the right place and the right time for something that would soon fit uniquely into the energy and vibes of the time.
Our goal, originally, was to create a place where people could come, pick a book and sit in an easy chair and read to their heart’s content. That book, we hoped would be The Urantia Book which we carried and prominently displayed. And people did come, slowly and continuously they came and we soon realized that we needed to move out of our small cozy spot into something much larger that would accommodate more books and still have space to sit, get a cup of coffee and read books.
And, slowly over time that place had a couple of names, We first called it The Urantia Bookstore and Reading Room. Then we renamed it New Age Books, Whole Life Books and finally it was World Spirit Books. World Spirit Books, to me, was the ultimate name and we endeavored to create the setting and place and books that would belong in a space like that.
Ted and I began to understand that we were doing more than just running a bookstore. It became our life’s mission to service that store not only to our community, but to the world. As a buyer, I began to pour over catalogues and find texts and manuals that I knew contained truths from all the four corners of the globe. And with great joy and gladness I began to stock our store with those volumes and tomes of gems and jewels of the great truths from all ages. We carried books from all the great traditions and philosophies that I could find. We had sections on Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism and much, much more. We also stocked and carried all the versions of The Urantia Book and many of the supplemental texts. I enjoyed placing The Urantia Book, A Course in Miracles and The Alcoholics Anonymous books together on display. We had authors and teachers and lecturers come to the store and speak.
As time went by I began to realize that I was changing, that I was not the person I used to be. It was palpable and conscious to me. Ted and I both felt it. Being rabid readers we were devouring the material in the different texts and philosophies we were reading. I became aware that my spirit was picking out the “truths” that I needed in each book. I enjoyed and learned from all of our customers and friends of many traditions and beliefs that we are all on the same journey, each of us in just a small different way but toward the same goal. I began putting aside some of my old judgments and generalizations of different belief systems that did not serve me well.
Being a music junkie I was in heaven, because I began placing music, sacred music from the different traditions in the bookstore. Wow, what a privilege and honor! We became friends with a number of musicians and singers that forever changed our lives with their music and song. We always played their music over the sound system and had listening stations to listen on one’s own.
It was especially enjoyable when our different Urantia Book reader friends, when traveling, would drop by and stay a while and visit. I learned so much from introducing the Urantia Book to all the different people over all the years.
Over all, we sold many, many Urantia Books. I was always astonished at the number of books that came and went out of the doors of that store and very, very grateful to all the many Angels of Progress for their continuous work “towards the good” of all.
Many thanks go to Joe Crow, a Urantia Book reader and financial contributor, Tim Traylor, a Urantia reader and beloved friend, Gerry Caffey, a Urantia reader and computer expert, and Jim Cochran, a Urantia reader and store partner for their service and long commitment to the store’s spiritual goals. Ted Lanier, my beloved husband passed from this world in 2017. He was the original lifeblood of this store. He was my partner and friend as we both went through this adventure together. Thank you Ted! Thank you Angels of Progress!
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| The Angels of Progress | Fall 2020 Issue — Index | Checkmate: The Progress Angels and the Religious Guardians in Play |