day 50: a building of words

As no surprise, I love words.

I love quotes.

To me, there's just something about the perfectly right words spoken in the perfectly right order that makes one stop and think, ponder, wonder.

Today was the first day, in my now five adventures to Washington DC, that I have been to the Library of Congress. The mention of it at first didn't appeal to me. I frequent libraries often. What could this one have to offer, other than size, than the one a mile from my house?

Oh my word.

This pristine building has quickly become my favorite architectural highlight in the entire city. I couldn't take in enough of it. I'd stare for minutes at a time to find that there was more to see in the exact same spot I had already been looking. And the reading room, oh, that reading room. What I wouldn't have given to be able to just walk in there, lounge on a chair and stare some more, journey through the stacks of books and smell their musty, ancient smell.

Words were everywhere there. Not just in the books, but perfectly positioned on the wall, again and again. Words of advice. Wisdom.

The most memorable ones for me:

Words are also actions, and actions a kind of words.

Beauty is truth. Truth, beauty.

They are never alone that are accompanied with noble thought.

There is no work of genius that has not been the delight of mankind.

Nature is the art of God.

There is one only good namely knowledge and one only evil named ignorance.

Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers.

And of course, I loved the antiquity of using a "v" for a "u".

Loved the entire building. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

With all thy getting, get to this place next time you're in DC. You'll love it.