After seeing Saving Private Ryan, someone suggested that I'd make a good chaplain. I said that it was one of the most ludicrous suggestions anyone ever made to me. After all, I explained, I'm not religious and don't know how I could be.
"Oh, but you are. You have more beliefs than you realize. And you have your rituals, and your form of worship."
"But I haven't been to church in..."
"That's not important. You have your religion, and your bike rides are your form of worship."
Today--so many years, and almost as many life-changes, later-- I realize she may have been on to something:
Until I take my next trip to Rome, this is probably as close as I'll come to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. And, quite frankly, even though Michelangelo is one of the best (and one of my favorite) artists who ever lived, the light I saw in this scene means more to me than the stories that are depicted in that ceiling. Plus, I didn't have to deal with the crowds in the Chapel.
Here is one stop on the route of my "pilgrimage":
And then, I try to re-orient myself through signs, er, landmarks:
As the journey continues, there is only light to follow:
Sometimes the journey involves a crossing:
In the end, there is the revelation, in the form of light piercing the darkness:
It leadeth me to the still waters. Well, all right, maybe they're not so still. But even if hope and belief are eternal, rituals and liturgy are not. And I will "worship" again next Sunday.
"Oh, but you are. You have more beliefs than you realize. And you have your rituals, and your form of worship."
"But I haven't been to church in..."
"That's not important. You have your religion, and your bike rides are your form of worship."
Today--so many years, and almost as many life-changes, later-- I realize she may have been on to something:
Until I take my next trip to Rome, this is probably as close as I'll come to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. And, quite frankly, even though Michelangelo is one of the best (and one of my favorite) artists who ever lived, the light I saw in this scene means more to me than the stories that are depicted in that ceiling. Plus, I didn't have to deal with the crowds in the Chapel.
Here is one stop on the route of my "pilgrimage":
And then, I try to re-orient myself through signs, er, landmarks:
As the journey continues, there is only light to follow:
Sometimes the journey involves a crossing:
In the end, there is the revelation, in the form of light piercing the darkness:
It leadeth me to the still waters. Well, all right, maybe they're not so still. But even if hope and belief are eternal, rituals and liturgy are not. And I will "worship" again next Sunday.
I think being out and enjoying the beauty we live in is more soul satisfying and spiritually fulfilling than any church service. Thanks for the post and beautiful pics. SusieW
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