On my first day in England I met one of my coworkers at the airport. It was early in the morning, and I couldn’t sleep the entire plane ride. We drove from Heathrow airport to our office in the center of London. On the car ride he invited me to attend church. I had no idea we would be attending Westminster Abbey to hear the Archbishop of Canterbury deliver the sermon.
The church was one of most awe inspiring designs I have ever seen. This is the cemetery for hundreds of Britain’s most influential people. This is the cite of royal weddings, and every Royal coronation since that of William the Conqueror in 1066. The gothic revival architecture is breath taking both inside and out. One can see these spires that reach towards the heavens. The ornate glass is priceless, and the spires of gold inside the theatre reflect the magnitude of the building.
As we came into join the service it was remarkably empty. For an occasion such as this I was surprised. The service began with the choir of Canterbury singing (something that was on the bucket-list of my entire family). I had no idea who they were at the time, nor did I truly understand the importance of who was speaking. I felt engulfed by the warmth of the sound and light that tenderly reflected around the architecture. I was so taken aback. I can’t remember if it was the singing, or the fact that I was so jet-lagged, but I promptly fell asleep. I always find this story so funny because of the reaction my brother had when he heard it. He would have killed to sit there and listen, and I could’t stay awake.
After the service ended we continued our walk down the grand hallway. I loved the silence only interrupted by the steps of our hard souls on the marble. As we walked out I saw the resting place of some of the greatest minds of history. These include Newton, Darwin, and most recently Steven Hawking I will never forget the spires that reached towards the heavens, and the crypts in the ground that housed our history.
