I'm relieved to say that this more recent discovery was made without any detractions of feeling back about not coming home on time. I came here one day while Dominique was busy studying, and I knew my being out of the shoebox would help his concentration. We had visited once before with some friends to just the first portion of the park, the "field of boats" you can see in the 1st photo. I could sense that there was much more to see, and I was so right. This place just blows my mind in how much beauty is contained in such a compact space... it's something of an analogy to Switzerland, actually. So much within such small confines.
So far I've noticed (in addition to the expected pathways and jogging paths) the field of boats, the blue globe, at least three fountains, a playground, an amphitheater, a cafe, two beautiful ponds, and a public aviary with WHITE peacocks. Yup.
Amidst all this beauty, I found myself asking the question, "How can a country with so much phenomenal beauty still have so many people who smoke? How can anyone here be depressed?" I posed these questions to my good friend Kristen, and she gave me some important insight. For people like me, beauty and communion with nature fills the soul and brings peace, but for different kids of people, that's not enough. There are holes that beautiful things just cannot fill. Those sorts of holes need things like family, and spirituality. I needed to hear that.
That got me wondering - what do spaces and places like this mean to me? Are they simply meant to be places to park my tush and read? Places to de-stress? To reflect? To create? All of these are valid and true, but is that enough? Is it enough for me to do such things in such an exquisite place, while people all over the world just try to get by in situations too challenging for my relatively pampered mind to comprehend? I mean, the birds in this park have been given a level of shelter and sustenance billions of people wish they could have. Is it fair to claim this beautiful space solely for my personal enjoyment?
The purpose that seems most complete to me is this: places like Parc de Mon Repos are, for me, places to pause and soak in the potential for what our world could be like. As we might say in my faith, Unificationism, this park is an image of Cheon Il Guk (the kingdom of heaven), that we might find inspiration to help the whole world become this beautiful and blessed and peaceful. It's this purpose for the park that most satisfies me, and brings me the most peace when it surrounds me.
