What is sacred?
The other day Dave was checking out an email or facebook post about sacred places. He asked if I was interested in seeing them. I say, Yes, of course I am. So he clicks on the link. There are temples, cathedrals, bodies of water, mostly buildings. I began to contemplate: what is sacred as these were not what I thought of as "sacred"? I guess my thoughts of sacred (being a catholic) were holy places in Israel; Lourdes in France; Ephesus; Our Lady of Guadalupe....
So here I go again broadening my horizon on what and how I think. I recall when the kids were younger, they were constantly into things they shouldn't have been into. I remember thinking "nothing is sacred" when some of my favorites were used as play toys. What is sacred: not my favorite lipstick or nail polish (why does my son have my nail polish?), not different colored thread, or yarn, not carpet or walls (why is there an art project in multiple crayon colors going on under the buffet on my freshly painted wall?), towels (what is my new plush hand towel doing in the garage), cups, plates, you name it. And I am not talking just kids, yeah, the hubby got in on this action too. If you treasured it, they got into it.
As an adult, it seems my view of sacred has become very narrow minded. New things to contemplate, "what is sacred" to you?
So here I go again broadening my horizon on what and how I think. I recall when the kids were younger, they were constantly into things they shouldn't have been into. I remember thinking "nothing is sacred" when some of my favorites were used as play toys. What is sacred: not my favorite lipstick or nail polish (why does my son have my nail polish?), not different colored thread, or yarn, not carpet or walls (why is there an art project in multiple crayon colors going on under the buffet on my freshly painted wall?), towels (what is my new plush hand towel doing in the garage), cups, plates, you name it. And I am not talking just kids, yeah, the hubby got in on this action too. If you treasured it, they got into it.
As an adult, it seems my view of sacred has become very narrow minded. New things to contemplate, "what is sacred" to you?
Labels: sacred
posted by Pati | 11:09 AM
4 Comments:
i got to thinking a bit about this. i think there are a lot of sacred things-some tangible, many not. Some places i think could be considered sacred are Gettysburg, ground zero, the Vietnam Wall in DC, perhaps even a horrific place like Auschwitz. To many -- Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium :) things and places in nature - a mountain or tree. i think there are sacred traditions, music, memories and friendships. a painting (sacred icon) or sculpture, maybe only to the creator. Or a piece of work that we toiled over that became much more than just a part of the job. i had a few that i just couldn't throw out yet. i still want to have that cleansing fire btw - but that's another story. mag
Thank you for taking the time to contemplate this topic. I agree with all your suggestions. "Sacred" is in the eye of the beholder. Yet I had not really thought about it in a deeper sense for years until now, and actually surprised myself at the narrow mindedness of my definition of "Sacred". Even though my first thoughts of sacred, were not really my only thoughts of "Sacred". Does that make any sense? :) Of course there is more to it, which drove me to contemplate the question.
Might I add, one of the benefits of retirement is to allow time to meditate on such questions and others :)!
yes -- you make sense. usually ;) and yes, there is more time now. funny how priorities changed. i don't know if i'll take too much time/effort to contemplate deep ideas, but thanx for giving me something to think on. i do think i've had an appreciation for lots of things for along time but i can't say i've really seriously considered much. i think in my heart i feel deeply but i don't, or don't want to, or just don't bother to think too deeply. it's too much time, too much bother, too much pain? does that make sense? obliviousness can be OK but a little brain exercise is good too.
mag
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