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Photo (online writing course prompt)
Feb. 14th, 2013 09:56 pm
It was sometime in the middle of the week, perhaps two or three weeks ago. I decided to rush over after work to the Squirrel Hill neighborhood to deposit a check in the bank before it closed. Afterwards, I crossed the street to drop off a book at the Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The thing was, I still had a few pages left to read but the book was due that day, so I decided to sit somewhere in the library and finish the last few pages. The Squirrel Hill branch of the CPL, renovated several years ago, sits on the second story of a building that's on the corner of Forbes and Murray Avenues, the very center of activity in Squirrel Hill. The two walls facing the street are made of steel and glass. Its modern design stands out from the much older buildings of the neighborhood.
I usually don't spend a lot of time at the Squirrel Hill library branch and instead quickly stop by to pick up a requested book or to drop off a book. But on that day, I found a seat in the reading area by the large windows facing the street. As I plopped my tired and stressed self down, I found, to my surprise, that the chair was very comfortable and that it tilted slightly upwards.
The book I was reading was called "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain. Reading it had been a very positive, even experience for me. It made me realize that I shouldn't be ashamed of being an introvert and that introverts like myself can make a mark on the world, even if it's not in the extroverted way that seems to be idealized by society.
As I finished the book, which ended on a very positive and hopeful note, I sighed contentedly and looked up through the windows. It was starting to get dark but I could still see the clouds gathering above the buildings in the neighborhood, which were out of view. For a moment, I was far away from the commotion of the street below and the dreariness of winter. I then understood the architect's intention in designing this library. It was meant to be a sanctuary, above the stress of everyday life down below, where you could lose yourself in any book you choose, surrounded only by the sky. Before I got up to drop off the book and drive back home, I was compelled to take a picture of what I saw as an attempt to capture that brief moment when I felt content and happy with myself.
