Sacred Spaces

It’s a sacred space. No, it’s no Mount Rushmore, National Cathedral, or 911 Memorial, but, for me, it’s just as meaningful and inspirational. Adjacent to our local Cultural Art Center, the stool sits waiting for the next customer. 12 years ago, I sat there, waiting as my son auditioned next door. I remember having a glass of red wine, probably two, but I can’t recall what kind. All I know is it was the last time I had a drink.

I’m embarrassed to have such an ordinary sacred space. As one with a flare for the dramatic, a bar stool is far from mesmerizing. Perhaps a spotlight or brass plaque could be installed, but it’s not sacred to anyone but me. People pass by it every day, take a seat, talk about their days with others sitting beside them, never knowing what a special place it is. To them, it is not special, but, to me, it’s the most sacred space I know.

I write about it not to draw attention to my sacred space, but yours. We all have them, but too often we're too busy to give them much thought, let alone return to them. Perhaps it’s where you met your spouse, a child was born, or a momentous decision was made. It could be where someone you love is buried, where an accident occurred, or you received news that altered the direction of your soul. Important moments come wrapped in a variety of paper, just as sacredness calls us to remove our shoes in the most unlikely places.

Today is as good a day as any to stop and think about the sacred spaces in your life. Recall the spaces you hold sacred. (Go ahead, make a list of 10.) Go back, if only in your heart and mind, to the spaces, to the moments that shaped your life. Who was there? What happened? Such reflections can not only increase our awareness of what has been, but may awaken us to the sacred of life surrounding us still.