Before me stood a church
Of doors, it had three.
One stood open
The others, blocked off.
As if they were painted
Depicted to be
But did not exist in reality.
Its facade was something of wonder
Exquisite.
Pristine.
Of late Baroque style
Exciting for the eyes to see.
I sat at a cafe.
A stop along my way.
I had just listened to an interesting note from the audio guide about the town I was exploring that day.
Erected in 1658 - a true relic holding a depth of history.
Upon my exit, I replayed its synopsis of the scene.
A metaphor was outlined, which I held onto in my head.
It described the entrance doors
The center, ornately decorated with plants and welcoming scenes.
Beside it, two false doors
Ornamented with skulls and unearthly things.
It described the inferred meaning
Of the facade that was seen,
"There is only one true way to paradise"
For you and for me.
I pondered this notion
As I sat at the cafe across the street.
What a profound depiction
Built there for the eyes to see.
I thought about how a note such as this
I could have missed while walking by
Without taking a moment to think about the message
Such an artwork strives to relay through the eyes.
The canvas was a church,
An ornate chapel,
A symbol of faith.
Its message quite strong
As it relates to the dwelling's intended space.
As I sat at my table
As I took in each carved piece.
My mind lingered on its message,
About life and humanity.
There are always many avenues
That are possible for us to take
There are always a number of possibilities for our direction
Which we encounter along our life's race.
As we grow and develop,
Desires and interests take form.
We decide where we spend our time
And how our time spent takes form.
When I looked at those doors on that cathedral facade
I thought about the reality that sometimes the door open feels wrong.
About how sometimes I feel overwhelmed
About which decision to make.
About how sometimes the open door feels obliged to take
Not from desire, but from the expectations at play.
As I sat there for longer, I thought about the inner experience of a message such as this.
How sometimes needs and desires are stepped away from, pushed out
As we function in the world that inherently surrounds.
I thought about the abundance of messages
The noise that can encompass life's scene
The reality that preoccupation can take control of our being.
Distract from the true experience
Distract from the authentic self
How in the midst of navigating life, inner paralysis can be felt.
A stalemate in navigation
A freeze in the pursuit of a dream.
An infinite pause in the actualization
Of a desire coming to fruition for you or for me.
I thought about how it would be nice
To paint those alternative doors as false.
To close them off from the options
So that sole pursuit of the inside could be caught.
For a reality to be captured
Where external influence had less presence on the course.
For a stance in the self
To be strong enough to close the openings to the other doors.
My eyes peered at the cathedral
Locked in vision
Churning mind.
That door in the center
Represented a commitment to holding space for what is inside.
The two to its side
Depicted, yet false
Represented the reality of one's ability
To follow their truth
And hold the boundaries to brush conflicting opinions off.
My eyes opened wider
Inside I felt glad
For this encounter along my way
And the message it had.
As the church depicts a notion
That true paradise is found through its doors.
May we also see for ourselves
That our true abundance is found
Through prioritizing the life that is aligned with our inside, our core.
The town was Ragusa. In southeastern Sicily.
The cathedral, The Church of the Purgatory. Located in Ragusa Ibla. A stunning place to be.
The audio guide by Vincenzo Casareo, through Walk&Play. Found on the app Smart Guide - a recommended tool for your travels and stays ❃
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Melanie Jane
