I thought it was a road trip...

turns out, it was a journey.

There were signs from the beginning and I tried to be open but you know how hard that is for me sometimes.
Familiar roads were closed, virtually unrecognizable, by the impact of floods this 'spring'
which show no signs of abating, forcing travelers (again, read me) to take detour - after detour - after detour - adding hours of map reading, worries about running out of gas and over 100 miles of extra driving, to the mix.

Nothing compared to what people in the floods have endured, but still...

Searching for the bright side, it also led to new sights

and the opportunity to find a new treasure.

A chapel, literally popping up out of the prairie, (down an unpaved road) offered a perfect refugee for moments apart from the rush and time for reflection and restoration.

What a gem - literally dripping with symbolism!!

To enter, you go into what looks like a tomb - surrounded by gorgeous flowers to be sure, but a crypt none the less.
You spend time in silence ((there is a small gift alcove) but, in the center of the space is a swirl of metal (in my mind depicting the Holy Spirit - I didn't read the signs to see what the artist intended but as my artist son always tell me, "It doesn't matter what the artist intended, it's what the viewer sees that counts!")

The 'Spirit' is actually dripping water into a large pool - conjuring images of being baptized - by water and the spirit.
The water then travels in a stream back out into the world and toward the chapel itself, centered between jagged edged pavers.

In the chapel there are openings at the end of each pew through which to view the water and there's another large pool which seems to be collected under the altar itself.

You can't help but have snippets of scripture about the Living Water, dying and being born again with Christ in baptism run through your head as you sit there. (And, let's face it, I have 'snippets' because I can never remember whole verses!!)

Sitting in the glass sided chapel, viewing 'the world' on all sides yet getting a break from it,

or being with the BVM in a grotto (where else would she hang out!) was the perfect respite...


and made the rest of a really long day much more palatable.

Sights from the day lingered... far into the night.

Ultimately, my conscience and I were clear...and I could sleep!

(does this date me too much? does anyone else even remember Jiminy Cricket?)

It was a good beginning!