Heroes Not Zombies

I came across these two photos sitting next to each other in my collection. The one on the left is taken in Scotland, and the one on the right in Japan.

Could they be more different?

Yet they say the same to me, each in their unique cultural context.

The Scottish one is in a ruined church. The Japanese one, in a temple. Both are spiritual windows. Both stir the soul and turn my thoughts towards the invisible.

The old church window is so typical and so familiar to me. It’s massively tall, arched shape is like a giant arrow turning my gaze upwards then pointing me towards the heavens. This is my history, my tradition, the shape of places of worship.

The temple window is utterly strange and different to me. It’s why I loved so much my many visits to Japan. The culture, traditions and shapes are from such a different history and geography to mine that I’d have my attention grabbed a thousand times a day there. My ability to notice what was around me was turned up to max. This window, too, connects me to my soul. It turns my gaze to the garden, to Nature, to Mother Earth, and the circle shape stirs my deep intuitive knowledge that all is One and Whole.

I feel blessed to have had the opportunities to experience windows like these. I feel blessed by their beauty, by their difference and by where they both lead me.