National Cathedral's Repair Work: Finials, Finance and Faith

[elleng]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/us/national-cathedrals-repair-work-finials-finance-and-faith.html?

[tymorial]

1. I love the National Cathedral

I have so many fond memories of that place. The inside is beautiful and the outside is so peaceful at night. That place will always hold a very special place in my heart. It was spring 2000 and I was attending the music educators national conference with the rest of the music education majors from my college. I had starting dating my first wife several months earlier and it had been a rocky relationship. I was bisexual and she received gruff from our fellow classmates. It didn't help that my exboyfriend was always around. We all went to the National Cathedral to see Dave Brubeck perform. The cathedral was crowded and we were in the back, we couldn't see anything so we decided to leave. The next night E and I were trying to figure out what to do so we decided to walk back to the Cathedral to see what it was like without so many people. It was warm and I remember seeing flowers which I thought was strange; it was early March. I held her hand as we walked up Woodley Rd and then up side streets, making our way to the Cathedral. We loved the homes and thought, it would be great to live here someday. We wondered if any of the homes were embassies of small nations. We talked about the future and our lives back in New Hampshire. Eventually we made our way to the Cathedral and it was quiet. We walked the grounds admiring the beauty of the illuminated exterior. We sat on a bench that faced the front of the Cathedral and E put her head on my shoulder and held my hand. It was the most perfect moment that I had ever had and I believe E felt that way too. I kissed her and told her that I loved her. She said I love you too and I knew she meant it. I wanted to marry this girl but I knew we would have to wait as she was a few years younger than me. I was going to graduate soon but I was determined to make it work. We did eventually marry but it wouldn't last. We made mistakes but mine were worse. In the early evening of July 2002 I had an accident that would lead to surgery and the eventual descent into drug addiction. We have moved on now and we don't talk. I hope though that when she hears about or sees Washington, some small place remembers me and that perfect night together in early March 2000.

[elleng]

2. Thank you, tymorial,

for a lovely if difficult story.

[tymorial]

3. It started as just a short comment

for some reason I felt compelled to share more. I have moments like that sometimes.

[elleng]

4. We all do!

It is a lovely neighborhood. Lived in DC for 20+ years, 10 or so miles away from the Cathedral, and bought our Christmas tree nearby.

[tymorial]

5. So jealous.

I love DC so very much and I have even before the conference. I had been there many times on vacation with my parents and for school. I was lucky to have parents who always included museum and historical locations as part of our vacations growing up. My mother was a history teacher. I dreaded the trips to battlefields and museums as a child but looking back I am so grateful for the exposure. Before I met my wife, I almost took a job in DC. It is one of the three places where I would love to live. The other two are Newport, RI (I grew up 45 minutes away in Pawtucket, RI) and St Malo which is a coastal city in Brittany, France. I doubt the latter will ever happen but I will go back someday. St Malo -- the location where a 17 year old boy met a 16 year old girl from the Bronx. They met by happenstance because the two schools joined together for the same 10 day trip to France. Two kids from completely different backgrounds and cultures who became friends and developed an attraction for each other that distance prevented something more from developing. Are you seeing a pattern yet? Hopeless romantic.

[elleng]

6. LOVE you, hopeless romantic tymorial!

[tymorial]

7. Aww love you too Ellen!