Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That's part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads--at least that's where I imagine it--there's a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you'll live forever in your own private library.
The quote from Haruki Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore" reflects on the universal experience of loss that everyone faces throughout life. It acknowledges that we all lose something valuable, whether it be opportunities or feelings, and this aspect of life is inescapable. It suggests that we maintain a mental space akin to a library, filled with memories we cherish or mourn.
This metaphorical library represents our emotional and experiential history. To truly understand ourselves and our emotions, we need to revisit these memories, similar to how we would organize and maintain a library. By continually updating our "reference cards" and refreshing our memories, we honor our past while allowing space for new experiences, ensuring our personal library remains vibrant and relevant.
