The Library

(This is my first guest post! Here is one by my good friend Andrew Figueroa. You can follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewFiggz.)

The Library. If you would've asked me during the summer what was the one thing that I was most looking forward to this upcoming year in college, I probably wouldn't have given that response. Now, two months into the new school year, the library has been my answer to pretty much every question that I'm asked particularly if it’s in relation to school which has been my whole life lately.

"How's Portland?"

"Is college hard?"

"What are you doing tonight?"

"How are your roommates?"

"Do you miss your family and friends?"

"What are you eating for lunch?"

"Are you having fun?"

"Is that your only response?!!"

  

The Library...

I think you pretty much get my point. As soon as the last class for my day ends, I walk right across campus and make my way to the George R. White Library and Learning Center. I pretty much have claimed this certain desk on the third floor as my personal spot or niche. It's here that I do a bit of everything from homework and studying to reflecting and taking naps.

There's really nothing special about this library (even though the school spent almost three million dollars three years ago to renovate it). It's your typical building surrounded with thousands of books, wooden furniture, computers and tons of students with various missions to accomplish. Sometimes, I just sit around and watch what all is going on around me to think to myself, "This is crazy!”

Think about this: the library has thousands of books with an infinite amount of information sitting on shelves for who knows how long. Some of those books will never ever get selected or picked up to even be skimmed over. Think about that adventurous novel out on the top shelf that at one point had many readers passionately devouring each page as if their life depended on knowing every ounce of detail as to what happens next to the main character. Or that best seller that had hundreds of young readers buzzing and carrying it around under their arm claiming it to be part of their everyday attire. Or how about that book that once would bring a smile to a child's face during bedtime with its many colorful pictures and descriptive wording. Nope, all of that is long forgotten. It's just a book.

I was just reflecting on this the other day and I realized that the world we live in is just like this library and the people around us are like the books on the shelves. The moment I set foot in the library, I am surrounded by tons of books containing valuable information but I rather sit at a desk and prop open my laptop and keep to myself, locating only information that will help me out. Instead of going to the library catalog and locating a book regarding a topic for a class, I'm content with the bare bones of information the internet will give me.

Where am I going with this? When was the last time we opened a book and found incredibly valuable information we wouldn't have found elsewhere? Better yet, when was the last time we ran into a complete stranger and had a meaningful conversation with them? We've all heard that famous cliché don't judge a book by its cover but I'm not evening talking about judging here but rather just opening the book of someone’s life.

There are many people in our community that society has placed up on the shelves and labeled them as irrelevant, insignificant, unwanted or unimportant. This can easily lead someone to feel inferior, rejected, insecure, hopeless or worthless. And sometimes these feelings have a tendency to target us as well. But what if we rejected those feelings and not made life about us. See, the only reason why our problems get bigger is because we're too focused on our situation.

What would happen if we could get beyond ourselves? What would happen if we opened up the story of someone else's life? We would be surprised to discover the value that God has placed not only in their life but also in our life.