Feeling overawed. all the knowledge and all the stories, stacked on shelves, row upon row. It reminds me of my own mortality, because I know that even if I sat down right now and started reading, I would never get to the end in time.
There is a sense of peace and nostalgia. I can calm down, be quiet for a while. Walking down the aisles, running my fingers along the spines from time to time.
The smell of paper and dust hangs in the air. it is comforting in its familiarity, it’s the smell of adventures to be discovered.
There are so many secrets hidden in these books, on these shelves. Not just the written secrets, but also the small spaces, the private and work places of the people working in the library. They add to the stories on the shelves with their photographs, their trinkets, clippings and memories. All are waiting to be discovered.
All this in the knowledge that even if I had a hundred years I wouldn’t get to learn it all.
