I have sinned.
I ripped a book.
Well, I didn't actually rip it myself. I did however fail to prevent a 2 year old from ripping it.
What's worse, this book doesn't even belong to me. It was borrowed from the local library and both of my kids absolutely love it. (Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle in case you're wondering)
Needless to say I was upset at the destruction of this lovely piece of art. But then I came to realize that it's not the end of the world. Carle already has his money from the purchase of this copy of his book. The copy in question is from the 11th printing of the book so I doubt that there is any collectible value to the book. A few pieces of tape and careful replacement of the damaged pages will allow the book to be enjoyed by many other children for years to come.
But I can't help feeling a little bit shameful for the act anyway. If I wrote the book and someone ripped it, even by accident, I feel like a little piece of me gets torn with it.