This weekend brought an indoor tennis tournament over in Illinois with Tanner — which meant a detour to one of my favorite places: Our Lady of the Snows.
I don’t know what it is, but I feel more at peace in that space than just about anywhere else. The silence is profound and envelopes you right away. It never gets old.
Especially the Annunciation. There’s something something so moving about putting yourself in Mary’s position — literally.
We’re about the same height, so when I look over her shoulder, I can get her perspective.
(See the lower left photo in the above collage.) Stunning stuff.
I also make a point of stopping by Our Lady of Guadalupe (upper right corner, collage) during each visit. The landscaping leading up to her space was more beautiful this time than I remember. Cactus blooms in the snow….really??
But these thorns were certainly as nasty and wicked as I remembered. Yowza.
And around the corner…there she was.
Okay, a little bit more on the landscaping. Focal point: pretty bloom.
Quick change of focal point: oh, my. Those aren’t tooth picks, my friend.
What stuck with me the most from this particular visit was the variety of offerings left behind.
Especially at Our Lady of Guadalupe. She had full pots of wilted poinsettias, colorful candles (lower right of the collage), rosaries, and a number of other treasures. At the life-sized nativity, offerings included fully decorated mini Christmas trees, teddy bears, ornaments with portraits of loved ones, birthday cards, and other decorations.
Are these offerings left out of love — like a form of giving back? Or is it a form of bartering? Do people feel that their prayers are heard more clearly if they come bearing gifts? It’s all very sweet, but there is a distinct tinge of sadness, too. I’m thinking that God doesn’t have a lot of use for a five-inch tall jointed teddy bear. But I’m also guessing that the bear was accompanied by a prayer, so that’s never a bad thing. It’s all coming from a sincere place, so I suppose there’s no point in questioning it.
Now we’re home after a long weekend, just in time for the beginning of the Australian Open. There goes my productivity for the next couple of weeks.
hey there, friends 