A Conversation with a Book

This week Utah State has been having an event called the Human Library. 

Yep. Humans. In a library. 

And they give us permission to check them out....

Not like that! Stay focused.

The Human Library is collection of individuals who have unusual life experiences. When you walk into the Human Library (which is inside the actual library) and they have a collection of "titles" and "book descriptions". They had everything from secret society members to "Mormon turned Pagan". 

Yep.

Welcome to Utah. (There's also a Post-Mormonism club on campus, I didn't even know that was a thing!)

Anyway, I checked out the "Lifelong Learner" and took my "book" to a table to talk. 

They gave me a sticker. :) 

My book has earned multiple degrees (both undergraduate and graduate; she has her PhD!) and has worked as an academic advisor. I was expecting to have a nice conversation about college and learning and yada yada...

I. Was. Wrong.

It was honestly one of the coolest conversations of my life. My book has gone through so many things and experienced so much!

She got a bachelors in one thing.

Got a graduate degree in something else. 

And hated her career.

So she decided to do what she loves (and took a significant pay cut) and now advises students.

And is getting another undergrad.

And did I mention that the reason she kept going to school was to get a little freedom from her then husband.

And she had cancer. And kept working while she had cancer.

This book was fantastic. 

She told me to always keep learning, that it had kept her sane and had kept her sharp. She told me that it never hurts to have a career that pays for your learning habit (engineering anyone??).

And she gave me some advice:

That when people are dying they regret two things: not spending enough time with the people they love and not taking enough risks.

And she said that at the end of your life you will regret the books you didn't read, but don't let it be because you didn't read, let it be because you just ran out of time.

Isn't that just the coolest thing you've ever heard?! 

I loved the Human Library.

On a related side note, here's my Education Mission Statement that I had to write for a class: 

I will learn

From teachers and students

I will have an open mind

And I will change it often

I will be prepared to learn outside of the classroom

Especially from those who I think have nothing to teach

I will think critically with my mind

But never forget to involve my heart

And at the end of my life

I will regret the books I didn’t read

But not for a lack of reading

Keep a weather eye on the horizon,

-McKenna