Did someone say Adventure - Day 2
I had the most extraordinary opportunity thanks to one of my life long friends... As I had mentioned in my previous post I was jetting off to Paris, France and now I am home and have had a few days to ponder the trip and kind of absorb everything I saw and experienced... I could go on about specifics about walking up and down stairs and riding the metro and all of the different sites we saw along the way but there was one moment in particular that kind of sat me down, both figuratively and literally...
On our second day of the trip the weather was less than ideal... in fact the sky decided it was going to let lose on us and keep us pretty much wet for most of the day... Now not only was it cold but it was wet and these are less than ideal conditions to walking anywhere... But we weren't going to let anything stand in our way... We made our way through the city until we found the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris... To go from seeing it animated in Disney's Hunchback to seeing it live and in person was quite spectacular... The line to enter wound back from the door a few hundred yards and we joined the end...
As we slowly moved forward the details of the carvings all over the building became clearer and clearer... Even more impressive and more beautiful... As we finally made it inside we walked past a counter selling small prayer beads and crosses, along with other items. I removed my wet poncho prior to stepping into the Sanctuary as to not drip all over the place. Despite the differences in the way we worship God, I felt a certain peace wash over me when I entered, a peace I haven't felt in sometime... We walked down the side to see all of the gorgeous Stained glass windows, statues and art that was on display... Aside from people muttering to each other, talking was at a minimum to show respect for those praying in the center pews...
At one point it must have gotten to noisy because a loud Shhhhhhh, was broadcast over the sound system reminding people to be silent... After a few more minutes of photos I felt this urge to sit... To sit and be still... So I found a seat and did just that... I sat, and it wasn't like I had a huge spiritual moment, or I heard an audible voice telling me to do something incredible, but I just felt peace... I felt a calm and I just sat and took it all in...
I know I needed this moment, I am not sure why, but I know in my heart of hearts I just did... Sometimes when you feel that peace you just need to sit and be still... Then take a moment and enjoy the beauty around you...
On our second day of the trip the weather was less than ideal... in fact the sky decided it was going to let lose on us and keep us pretty much wet for most of the day... Now not only was it cold but it was wet and these are less than ideal conditions to walking anywhere... But we weren't going to let anything stand in our way... We made our way through the city until we found the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris... To go from seeing it animated in Disney's Hunchback to seeing it live and in person was quite spectacular... The line to enter wound back from the door a few hundred yards and we joined the end...
As we slowly moved forward the details of the carvings all over the building became clearer and clearer... Even more impressive and more beautiful... As we finally made it inside we walked past a counter selling small prayer beads and crosses, along with other items. I removed my wet poncho prior to stepping into the Sanctuary as to not drip all over the place. Despite the differences in the way we worship God, I felt a certain peace wash over me when I entered, a peace I haven't felt in sometime... We walked down the side to see all of the gorgeous Stained glass windows, statues and art that was on display... Aside from people muttering to each other, talking was at a minimum to show respect for those praying in the center pews...
At one point it must have gotten to noisy because a loud Shhhhhhh, was broadcast over the sound system reminding people to be silent... After a few more minutes of photos I felt this urge to sit... To sit and be still... So I found a seat and did just that... I sat, and it wasn't like I had a huge spiritual moment, or I heard an audible voice telling me to do something incredible, but I just felt peace... I felt a calm and I just sat and took it all in...
I know I needed this moment, I am not sure why, but I know in my heart of hearts I just did... Sometimes when you feel that peace you just need to sit and be still... Then take a moment and enjoy the beauty around you...
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