Today I went on a hike with a friend.
And it was startling, actually, where we ended up. Because we were in Wilmington, driving by strip malls and underneath electric lights, when suddenly we turned off a highway and found ourselves right by a river that was doing something right because the land all around it was verdant and seemed to be saying an awful lot about springtime and life and the color green in general.
We parked the car and started walking and I felt like I could look at my surroundings forever. And if not forever, than at least for an hour or two before I wondered if anyone had texted me and shoot! I left my phone back at my friend’s house, anyway.
Don’t worry, I did that on purpose.
Part of the whole proving a certain friend of mine that I am not obsessed with my iphone, after all.
But the grass, it wasn’t just your every day green. It was like when you take a photograph and put it into iphoto and, when editing it, click on enhance and suddenly you blink because everything just got so much brighter. And then this grass was dotted with little yellow flowers and my goodness, but you know me: they had me at yellow.
But that would have been enough, you know? All that vibrant color carpeting the ground, acting all modest, like it was just its job anyway. Except then my friend took me to a very special place. A place, that for her, is a sanctuary. A place where it’s possible to hear the whispers of hope and grace that seemed to have been drowned out by the world clamoring for our attention for a long time now–probably even before you started noticing how cute boys are, but man, that sure didn’t help with trying to hear that whisper, did it?
Because there, on top of this hill and hidden by trees that, as it turns out, are some of the oldest and best secret keepers around, stands this small and rustic chapel. It’s rugged and it’s lovely and nobody has ever thought about installing anything so offensive as florescent lights in it. There’s a large wooden door and the floor is made of red bricks and wide grey stones. Oh! And I love this part, because there are tall archways on either side of the chapel, but they are devoid of any glass at all. Rather, they let the air come in and out as it pleases, and today the most perfectly warm breeze kept moving around inside the chapel. It was moving my hair too, which I figured was its right since it has been coming in and out of the place for a long time, while I had only just arrived.
And at the back of the chapel was a little unassuming plaque, one that tells a nice little story every minute of every day. Something about how the chapel was built in gratitude to God for a beautiful life–one filled with family, unique friends, joy, and laughter.
And tonight when I was telling a friend about this magical place, I told him that I’d like to be that, too: A temple of gratitude. One who’s hair might change an awful lot, who gets lost if she’s going anywhere that doesn’t happen to be home or the gas station down the street from home, and who falls for a fishy phone call enough to get her heart beating harder than normal when a silly friend disguises his voice at 2 am in the morning, telling her to come down to the police station or be arrested, but it’s your choice, ma’am…
But I agree with that little plaque. The one about this life being beautiful and, for this, being grateful.
And I hope to be able to find that perfect chapel again. Maybe with my guitar in tow next time.
I’m mad at your “friend” for getting you to leave your phone behind because i’d love to see a picture or 4. Sounds amazing!!!
I’d love to be a temple of gratitude too.
And huh arrested what who now??
Well don’t worry-I’m definitely going back and I will bring my camera when I do. And maybe when you come here next we can go together, cause you’d love it so much.
Oh, and okay, about the arrest. Well, tonight I was picking up Shane and I did almost accidentally hit a car right when I was about to pick him up-and he saw that. And then at two in the morning I get this phone call that says “blocked call” which confused me anyway, so I pick it up and it’s this man saying he’s with the Newark Police department and that they received a report of me driving recklessly and almost hitting a blue suburban and that I’d have to come down to the police station now. I was like, Sir, I’m in bed–can’t this happen later? And he was like, Ma’am, if you don’t come down, we WILL issue a warrant for your arrest…So yes, I was scared. But then the voice started laughing and it turns out it was my friend James who had talked to Shane, saying that he felt like prank calling someone, so Shane gave him the tip about me almost hitting that blue suburban…Suffice it to say, I was quite relieved to not have to go into Newark and answer questions!!!
Jess, how wonderful that sounds! And a temple of gratitude, my yes, that is what I want to be, too. Was this location somewhere near the Brandywine Zoo? I am trying to get my Wilmington bearings…I haven’t been there in a while.
I LOVE all the different greens of spring….and the flowers!
I think it was–it was definitely on the Brandywine River and near Target in Wilmington–does that help?
Thanks, but no…I am not very good at figuring out where things are if I haven’t been there a lot.
me too, Kathie! I am not even positive where it is–and I was just there:)
I once was taken to a chapel in the woods by a new friend; it was near Andrew Wyeth’s home. I don’t think the owner of the chapel was a believer yet, but he fully understood that God deserved a beautiful chapel in the woods. This one was primitive but had lots of glass in the front of it so that you could see God’s beautiful creation. It was stunning! My new friend joked with me how I could become the chaplain of that chapel. I would have loved it. Plus I like nothing better than to help lead unbelievers to our Lord. It would have been fun if the offer had been real. However, I would have had to wear robes which my friend showed me, holding these huge folds of cloth with great care.
Oops this is me: Mom. Someone has been on my computer………
haha, sorry mom! But I did sign you back in…anyway, you woulda looked hot in those robes!!!
but that does sound beautiful…
leaving your phone at home.
i am proud of you.
the cost of leaving my phone at home=Jase being mad at me cause I couldn’t take pics.
Hearing F. Subhuman say he’s proud of me=priceless.
well I’m just de-lurking and commenting on everyone’s blog tonight
LOVE the sound of that place..how sacred is it? Can you tell other people how to get there? Sounds like just the sort of place someone might be able to find a little peace in…and Lord knows some of us need that! Your initial description was reminding me of the special meadow Edward takes Bella to in the Twilight series, but then you added the chapel and the comparison seemed a little sacrilegious hehe…but it sounds like a wonderful place to visit…so really…any directions?
Glad you found a beautiful sanctuary to visit…you certainly deserve to have one…
Janine!!! I LOVE that you de-lurked on my blog–I am honored!!!
Okay, I know it’s on Beaver Valley road. Or maybe OFF beaver valley road…but you turn off 202…okay, I am horrible with directions. Like, they literally fall out of my brain right when I hear them and suddenly I find myself thinking of things like pants or sandwiches and I have no idea which way it was that I was supposed to have turned…ugh. BUT Barbara knows how to get there–she’s the one who showed me. I am gonna get the directions and make sure you get them, okay? 