John and I are not particularly religious people, but we can appreciate religious artifacts, and lord knows we love a ruin. When we arrived on Iona, we were hungry for lunch, and knew that we really only had time to visit the Abbey. So, we walked through the Nunnery, and then had lunch… One the way to the Abbey was the first of many tall Celtic crosses. I was amazed at how beautiful it was. We stopped to take a picture.
It really is amazing that this still stands, and is still so beautiful. Even Sean stopped and contemplated it’s beauty. As we walked to the Abbey, it began to mist. A pretty heavy mist. Not really rain, but it certainly was wet. We bought our tickets and got our audio tour and started walking in. We walked by the road of the dead, where we saw even more high crosses… Sean stopped and thought about them all.
As we entered the Abbey, there were more ruins of high crosses. Sean and I went towards the back of the Abbey, and lit a candle. Sean thought this was amazing, and wanted to light his own candle. I said that was fine, and he lit one for Daisy. Very appropriate I thought.
A service began in the Abbey, so I stopped to sing the hymn, and listen a bit. John and Sean looked around, and then went back to the candles. Sean lit two more candles, and then started to sob. He said he wanted his Grandpa Gerbracht. John’s dad died well before I met him. Sean, John, and Grammy go and visit the grave site regularly. I got up and went to him, in hopes of comforting him. He continued to sob uncontrollably throughout the service. I held my boy and tried to tell him it would all be ok.
Even after we left the Abbey, and starting walking around the grounds, Sean was still upset. It was the strangest thing. We saw the minister, and apologized. She was almost thankful. She said it fit in well with the theme her service, peace. I explained that I thought Sean might have found God. She said that uncontrollable sobbing happens there more often than one would think. Many people of all ages feel God in the Abbey. It is a magical, mystical place. Sean was just one of many.
This was a story I really wanted to tell. I wanted it to feel calm, almost ethereal. I didn’t want to use white. I had a bunch of mint green patterned paper hanging about… I then thought to myself, I’d really like to weave here. I’d like to show something old, and a sense of release… I’m not sure if I got there, but I did try.
I added some rhinestones to show the light of god coming through the weave, and from behind the pictures. I added some thickers, and some October Afternoon letters. I’m pretty happy with it. John doesn’t see it. I see it. Coming out from behind the weave to find God. I’m so happy.
Have you ever visited a place that was life changing? I’d love to hear about it.
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