The Library - A Story

Imagine an incredible library. 

A huge, beautiful building that almost looks like a cathedral. 

You enter and look around, marvelling at the hundreds of shelves of books that seem to rise like skyscrapers right up to the ceiling. Millions and millions of books cover the shelves in myriad colours, sizes and shapes.

You sit down at one of the tables and pick up a book and start reading. 

You realise that you’ve been coming to this library for a long time now, every day for many years in fact, and have been reading this same book for quite a while now. Whilst you like the book overall, you’re a little impatient for it to get more interesting, as sometimes it feels like the plot is just drifting along. 

So, you tell yourself that you’re sure the next chapter will be more exciting, and you get your head down and keep turning the pages and reading the words that are there. 

At the end of the day, you put your bookmark at the latest page. You’re feeling a bit down that the story hasn’t quite progressed the way that you’d hoped, but you also know that you can come back tomorrow and read the next chapter, which you’re sure will be better.

You keep coming back to the library every day, and keep reading your book. 

Some chapters are definitely more interesting than others, but you often feel like the author doesn’t quite take you where you really want to go. 

One day, a man comes over, introduces himself, and explains that he is one of the librarians. 

‘This is such a wonderful library, you must love working here!’ you say.

‘Oh, I do’, he says ‘There’s no better place to work in the world. But tell me, I can’t help but notice that whenever you come in and read your book, you seem a little sad and disinterested, like you’re not really enjoying it?’

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right’, you say. ‘It has been a bit boring recently and I’m not really sure where it’s going to end. I’m not going to give up though, I’m going to keep reading until I get to the end.’

‘But what if you get all that way, and it doesn’t get any better, and then you don’t like the ending at all? How will you feel then?’

‘Well, I suppose that won’t be good at all, and I think I might feel very disappointed that the author didn’t write a better story’.

‘Yes, I think I would too,’ he replies. ‘Have a look around – there’s millions of other books here – why don’t you choose another one to read that looks more exciting?

‘Oh, well I’d love to, but I have to finish this one first I’m afraid, that’s the rule’.

‘Is it? Who told you that?’, he says, looking curiously at you. 

‘Oh, I can’t really remember, it was such a long time ago now. I think it was my mum or dad, or possibly a teacher at school. Like I say, it was a long time ago now, but I know I mustn’t break the rule.’   

‘Ah, I see’, he says. ‘Well, I’m the librarian here and I can assure you that there is no such rule. You are free to walk around, open the books and have a flick through, and if one takes your fancy, you’re free to sit down and dive in. And if you have any questions, I’m here to guide you, as I know the library well.’ 

‘By the way’, he says, ‘Have you ever noticed that no one else comes into this library?’

You stop to think for a moment. ‘Well, yes, I have actually thought that a bit strange, seeing as how wonderful it is here.’

‘Well, that’s because this library is just for you. Every single book in it - just for you.’

He turns and gestures up towards the towering shelves.

‘So which story are you going to choose?’