University Christian Church
This non-specific church is quite different from
all of the (few) other churches I’ve been to. The traditional
stained glass windows at the back show what I assume to be students
in modern clothing, gazing upon Christ. Instead of stained glass
depictions of bible stories, the windows have the symbols of
the disciples in a very modern geometrical style. The table
at the front end of the church has a wooden engraving of the
last supper on it. This church seems to be different from others
chiefly because the center of attention is a bunch of flowing
plants in front of a baptismal bath tub, with a Christ-less
cross high above it. This church feels like less of a sacred
space to me than the previous two did for some reason I find
it harder here to sink into that state of mind necessary to
fins internal peace. It could just be the complete lack of focus
amongst my classmates. The organ looms so greatly over the church
that perhaps listening to it is necessary to find that sacred
space in my head for my mind to recede to. What really fascinates
me is the difference in the windows; something that requires
much more thought and analysis.
Hall of Noble Words
“If there’s no meaning in it,”
said the king, “that saves a world of trouble, you know,
as we needn’t try to find any.”
~Alice in Wonderland
This quotes most connects with my vision because
it sates that life should not be made more complicated than
necessary. Sometimes thing happen for no reason at all, and
it is better to accept this truth than drive ourselves crazy
trying to find a meaning or reason. My vision for my future
is fairly straightforward. I want to make use of every opportunity
I can to help others, without fixating on the ifs and buts,
I believe that it is only when you learnt to let go that you
can truly achieve everything you have the potential to do.
Brontes
The Brontes spent their childhoods stuck in a house.
They lost their mother and two sisters as children, but I think
they turned to each other and worked out their grief together.
I think this “turning inwards’ in a familial sense
is what saved their mental health (except perhaps Patrick Bramwell)
and their imaginations from getting jaded. The siblings began
their journeys through their imaginations together, in an effort
that was collaborative. Spurring each other on from childhood
helped hone their skills and the children were able to learn important
story-telling skills from each other as well. Instead of having
their ideas stifled by a cynical society, the Brontes were able
to help each other get through the journeys of their characters
by bouncing ideas off of each other. The National Novel Writing
Month program reminds me of this – a group of writers going
through the trials and tribulations of novel writing together.
The collaborative writing effort gave the Brontes a support system
for the emotional rollercoaster that comes with novel-writing.
After all, I don’t think Wuthering Heights was an easy book
to write (emotionally speaking). The fact that all of this happened
in a closed environment also says a lot about the Brontes. They
dealt with death very early in life, and continued to stay captive
in the same house where these deaths occurred. My mind likes to
imagine their house as a gothic mansion reminiscent of Wuthering
Heights, with grey towers and tall spires. Rachel once discussed
how gloomy climates make the people gloomy, so I am forced to
make to connection between the dark, haunted looking mansion and
the dark passionate writing about “a dream of watchful agony
/ a grief that would not sleep” (Anne Bronte, The Hearts
that once adored me). My roommate and I have had discussions about
Emily Bronte, and how amazing it was that she was able to imbue
such raw passion in Heathcliff. We have no information about her
having ever been in love, so the fact that she was able to make
her characters so real is astounding. I don’t know about
the other Brontes, but Emily’s understanding of the human
condition is so deep and profound, that it struck me and inspired
me when I first read the book. I liked neither Heathcliff nor
Catherine, because the first lacked a control over his emotions,
and the other was a manipulative bitch. But as I progressed through
the novel, I began to love Heathcliff because e had the ability
to let his emotions control him, something I am completely unable
to do. Even Cathy was somewhat redeemed in my eyes, when I realized
that she was a character with more flaws than I was accustomed
to seeing, but she loved Heathcliff with all her being. How was
Emily able to write about such love that devours the soul? I don’t
know, but I think it has a lot to do with her childhood. I think
being surrounded by ‘tragedies’ as children gave the
Brontes a better understanding of the basic human psyche. Most
of us have lived sheltered lives away from grief, so we tend to
go into shock when something tragic does happen. The Brontes escaped
this shock however, and together used the worlds of Angria and
Gondal to create people who had intense emotions and passionate
feelings, but most importantly, were simply real.
All Saints
As I sit here facing the New Testament Windows
at the back of the Church, everything seems foreign and new
to me. The stories told by these glass etchings may be familiar
to some, but to me they are as much of a mystery as the bible
itself. I suppose the curiosity I feel is similar to that felt
by white people when they go to Indian temples and look at the
various engraving around the pillars. The lower depiction of
the middle window is that of the patriarch Simeon presenting
Jesus as a child to the temple. The poor families who have come
to see the Redeemer have made the only offerings that they can:
two tiny, white doves. What I find interesting is that even
these poor people have the colored circle around their heads,
a symbol I used to think only represented saints ( I think that’s
how the chakra is used in India – to indicated divinity).
The depiction above this one in the center is that of Jesus
being baptized by John the Baptist. Fittingly enough, Will was
baptized in front of this very window. The bottom window on
the left shows the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she will
bear God’s son Jesus. What I find particularly awe-inspiring
are the Angel’s wings – they are golden at the top,
turning into a deep red at the bottom. They remind me of phoenix
feathers, which is appropriate because he has come bearing news
of a new life. The window above that shows Mary and Elizabeth
(mother of John the Baptist), something I find interesting only
because Elizabeth is black, and not a “savage”.
