Afton---The Perfect Church

One place in Herrlingen that I took you to frequently because of both its proximity and appeal was a small Church, apparently out of a Disney film. It appeared to be in a world of its own, with vivid stained glass windows and a timeless charm. Surrounded by voluptuous trees, it was set back aways from the street, and had to be discovered. Once I did, it was as if I'd found a priceless gem, and was constantly lured there to relish its sparkle. As I recall, it was across the side street from the Rommel's.

When you entered the grounds, it was overwhelming to see how well cared for the beautiful grounds were, not to mention the lovely building itself. No effort had been spared to create and meticulously maintain the beauty of it all. And yet, not once out of all the many, many times we walked there, did we ever encounter another living soul. Regardless of the time or the day, it was empty. As if perhaps some entities came in the night(remember the story of the Shoemaker and the Elves?)to work their wonders and leave them to be discovered in the noonday sun. But by whom? Apparently it was never used. It seemed to be a haven just for us to meander about. Sometimes it would bother me a bit; it seemed to be an affront to that little handplay, "Here is the Church, Here is the Steeple, Open the Door, See all the People." But for Heaven's sake, just where were all the people?

One thing that came to mind was that while Europe had a grand history of religion, replete with the Art and Treasures that honored it, maybe it was just that. A tribute to the Art and History, not so much the sacred anymore. On Sundays, we noticed that while shops and markets, even gas stations closed down, the main event in Ulm seemed to be the people dressed in their very best, window shopping and greeting each other on the city streets. Somewhat an Easter Parade of sorts. Social event of the week? I know weekend hiking was the most popular weekend activity, but there were still crowds of people left to pursue the urban alternative. On one level, they seemed more serious about keeping the Sabbath than America, where many businesses stayed open. Yet to what avail, if the Churches seemed pretty empty?

Introspectively, it made me wonder how often we settle for the honoring the more outward observances, preferring to luxuriate in the beauty of appearances rather than going inward to find the peace and serenity there. Isn't that where it's at? How many times have I been guilty of going through the motions? I often find myself going back to the perfect image of this splendid little place we encountered so long ago.