As many of you know, I spent part of last week in hectic, frenetic, exciting New York City.  I was fortunate to attend a conference called Tools of Change, a publishing industry gathering of the brightest and best intent on learning how to not only survive but thrive in this new digital era.  I managed to head to The Big Apple a day early so I could take in the sights and sounds of one of my all-time favourite cities, and on my extra day, I took the snap above inside the architecturally-stunning New York Public Library. I am fond of this shot as it not only captures a lonely soul caught in the act of reading, but it also personifies a portion of a poem engraved in the library sidewalk that literally stopped me in my tracks before I entered. It is a poem by William Butler Yeats entitled “When You Are Old.” I remember this poem fondly from my high school days. The portion of the poem engraved in the sidewalk goes as follows:

“When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face; – William Butler Yeats, Library Walk Engraving, 1998

Back in high school, I appreciated this poem, but you really have to put some miles on you before you can empathize and truly understand it’s deeper meaning. I admit here to welling up a bit as I looked down upon this unexpected engraving. Despite loving the life of the restless wanderer, on this day I was feeling rather lonely in the midst of the crowded streets of New York.  It is not hard to get overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of its pulsing streets; the buildings soar so high that they encroach upon you and obliterate the sky. So, not unlike the solitary reader above, I sought refuge in the library, looking for some peace; a quiet spot to rest my pilgrim soul.

If you would like to see a few more of my snaps taken at the NYPL, please visit my gallery.  I’m pleased to say that when I was taking these photos, I was indeed experiencing “moments of glad grace.”