The Serenity

Is it possible to find serenity in public space? Without any deeper anatomy, I would answer no. However sitting in the Beinecke, carefully observing every move of people strolling around, in a harmonious rhythmic pace, makes me feel peace. They walk slowly, step by step while their feet softly stroke the grey concrete floor, like a gentle stroke on a cat’s fur. They are too busy having deep conversations with each other to even notice my presence. How I slowly follow them, watching every move they make rigorously; their conscious nodding, their engaged eyes and their serious voices. The voices, they catch my attention. I can clearly hear them talking. However I can’t hear a word of what they are saying. The sound of their voices disappears into the magnificent space, absorbed by the white marble walls.

The walls, made of thin slices of white marble, are the ornament of the building.  Like the cherry on top of the sundae, they put a special stamp on the room. Their capacity to capture the sunbeams is spectacular. It gives the space its very own magnificent lighting. Thousands of sunbeams hit the Beinecke every second, however the majority are absorbed by the walls.  Only a few succeed in getting through the marble squares. They create a very weak light. Indeed most of the light comes from the center of the room; the glass cube where all the ancient precious books are stored.

The books, the warm beating heart in the cold room, are surrounded by a thin glass wall. Outside the glass wall, there is emptiness and coldness. The colors are arid and neutral. It can be compared to a sterile hospital environment, the grey concrete floor, the white marble walls and the serious voices. However if you walk into the glass cube you find the colorful books that make you feel alive and filled with warmth. There is an incredible magnificence in having thousands of books in front of you, an endless access to knowledge. However the cold air in the Beinecke chills your warm body.