The Library and the Unknown

I've been spending time at the local library since I've been back in C1inton because my mom doesn't have Internet at her house. I'm really impressed with this library. It was built after I left the town. It's well-lit, has a cool magazine reading section, and best of all, wireless Internet.

The first night I sat down in a little cubicle and saw a plaque on the side that reads "In Loving Memory of Ceci1ia Ellen Gr1mm 1967-1990". Gee, that hit me. We went to middle school and high school together. I actually saw her months before she died at a mini-reunion get-together at another former classmate's parents' house. She was a teacher living up in Vermont or New Hampshire. I later learned that she was driving and hit a patch of black ice and died. Makes you realize how fragile life is.

So I've been sitting in that spot because it's private and has an outlet to plug in my computer. But today I found someone else sitting there. So I sat in the cubicle in front of it. Well those few extra steps made a big difference because I found myself closer to the shelf of books against the wall. It turned out to be the photography and art section of the library. And they have some great stuff! I'm going to take home a book by Diane Arbu$ who remains one of my favorite photographers.

That little incident got me thinking about how if you get into a routine, you can miss what life has to offer and not even realize it. I could have kept sitting in that cubicle because it was comfortable and I was used to it. But then I might have have never seen that section of great books. Also reminds me of when I used to date P. and we'd travel and I'd say "Let's go see what's down there" and he'd ask "Why do you want to go down there? You don't know what's down there." and I'd say "That's why. I want to see if there's anything interesting." It's funny that M. reminds me of P. in several ways. Except M. was also into searching out the unknown. I need that in a partner.