After nearly 1,400 miles, 4 hours, and 2 Dr. Peppers later we made it. Finally, Washington D.C., our nation’s capital was at my footsteps. As incredible as it may seem, it wasn’t as welcoming as I had hoped but I had certainly not realized it would be so different from home. I had traded the familiar calls of the whippoorwill for those of sirens and car horns. The night sky full of stars I would dream under had transformed into a busy and ever-moving sea of lights. There were a few moments that I would find myself on the brink of a panic attack. I had to remind myself to breathe, eventually breathing became easy and my once empty lungs began to kindle with excitement and laughter. The startling car sounds that had first felt scary had become music to my ears. Maybe not beautiful music, but a new and interesting genre I wanted to embrace.
Washington was almost paradoxical to me. At the core you could find an archive of our nations history guarded by the ribs of our government and sheathed in a free-spirited and open-armed society. In other words, from pinstriped suits to blue hair our differences made the city whole. That was the most beautiful part of D.C. in my opinion. The scenic view of Washington D.C. was also captivating. The city was infested with sculptures, monuments, and amazing architecture, it was an art junky’s dream. Without a doubt, Michelangelo would be proud.
As great as that was, the best part of our trip was the kickoff. Really, I owe this entire experience to the Public Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, you guys rock. If by chance I win the lottery, you guys will definitely get decent chunk of change. It wasn’t until the kickoff that I really realized how important libraries are to our communities. We are the safe havens, we are the bridges to enlightenment and intellectual freedom, and we are the tools used to sculpt and carve the minds of our society. WE ALSO HAVE THE HARRY POTTER SERIES AND FREE WIFI. I also learned that most librarians never dreamt of being librarians and that is totally okay. I was told to embrace failure with open arms. It is after all, just a state of mind. I can definitely say I learned something, even if it was just a magic trick. It was so inspiring to see other people my age so passionate about making our communities better places. I made plenty of friends who I hope to see again in Chicago.
So, if you see me in the library and you ask how my trip went just know, you will never be able to fathom just how amazing my trip went. No words could ever describe how blessed and enlightened I feel because it feels like nerd nirvana.
