In today’s editions, readers will find a story on Betty Holcombe’s generous donation to the South Georgia Regional Library and First United Methodist Church. Because of a move, she donated 1,700 volumes to the library and an estimated 400-500 books to the church.

She, her family and friends tell stories of how Holcombe’s love for reading enriched her life, made her a better student, a better parent, a better teacher, a better friend and a better person. Her contribution will improve the life of each person who opens one of her donated books.

This donation alone is worth the story and even a tribute on the Opinions page to her and all people who donate books to the library.

But go back and look at the story again, or if you haven’t read it yet, pay attention to the closing sentences.

Though Betty Holcombe has donated her lifelong book collection to the library and a church, it doesn’t mean she is finished with books. She still reads books of history. She’s still learning.

This may be the lesson of Betty Holcombe and her books. She is a student of life, for life. She has never stopped learning. She has never stopped reaching for something new. She has never stopped trying to better understand something old.

She has given away a life’s worth of books, but she has already begun a new collection of books without a pause in her reading.

Betty Holcombe’s example may hold a more important lesson than all of the books in her donation, but we should all read at least a few more books before reaching any such definitive conclusion.