And so a new year begins, and another one is behind us. Turning the page on the calendar year is a poignant reminder that nothing new can be created without saying goodbye to what has come before.
As Pablo Picasso said, “Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.”
Picasso’s words reverberated as I walked past the large main library being demolished in Uptown Charlotte during the closing months of 2023. I was witnessing destruction that was paving the way for creation on the scale of a full city block.
A public library has stood on this site since 1903, and the one facing the wrecking ball dated back to 1956. It's sad to see the old library building gone, another piece of history vanishing. But in its place we’ll have something new: a $100 million, five-story library with a sleek contemporary design and impressive features – including a state-of-the-art technology hub, research space, outdoor terraces and a community “living room” for gathering.
As I stood outside the construction barriers and photographed the ruins of the old library, I felt a twinge of loss mixed with optimism for what’s to come.
Seneca, the ancient Roman philosopher and statesman, was right when he told us: “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
Here's hoping that the start of 2024 marks a joyful and rewarding new beginning for you.
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