Wesminster Abbey

Today's photography focus was on buildings, which is a great topic for any area of London, but it was especially true at the Westminster Abbey. First, I was curious to find that “Westminster Abbey” is actually a nickname; officially the location is called the “Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster”. Our blue badge guide, Hugh, pointed out so many things on our tour that it would be impossible to describe here…Among the many things which left me in awe, seeing the huge marble slab commemorating Paul Dirac came as quite a surprise. Mostly, it made me long for my home in Tallahassee, reminding me of using the Dirac Science Library as an undergraduate at FSU. Further along the tour, we discovered the final resting place of Sir Isaac Newton, writer of the laws of gravity (no small feat)… making me think about the gravity of my life currently, separated from my home, even though I am surrounded by all of this beauty and history, some things still can’t fill the void in your heart.

During the middle of our tour, around 12:30, all visitors were asked to remain quiet in order to hear the call to worship in the nave, which was a prayer that was only a few minutes long, followed by moments of silence. This brief time indeed gave me some quiet time to truly reflect upon why I am on this educational and international trip to London. Toward the end of our tour, when Hugh pointed out the marble Shakespeare statue where he is paired with a copy of the play The Tempest, I suddenly started to weep, since it brought back so many memories of home. Eleven years ago, my husband and I went to one of Tallahassee’s Shakespeare in the Park presentations at Kleman Plaza. It was the Tempest, and we sat on the lawn and just watched. It was the first outdoor play my husband and I ever attended and I continued to long for home... After the Abbey, we picnicked in St. James’ Park and I thought about sitting on that lawn again a decade ago reminiscing; and all of these thoughts connecting so many personal things to my home and husband and alma mater FSU seemed overwhelming. Reminding me that gravity, like science and math, always have a funny way of working itself into my thoughts. Although the photography focus was on buildings, I found myself, more and more “building” on my own memories and longings for both my home and my new adventures.