A Visit to St. Louis

 

Last month I had the opportunity to go to St. Louis for my work summer celebration conference. I get to go every year to connect with those who are located there at the corporate location (and those who also fly in from their locations across the country) and participate in various sessions, a banquet dinner + awards, and a service project. We volunteered in a neighborhood that was hit hard by a tornado last year, and still had a great deal of recovery going on. We packed cleaning supplies boxes, served food for the neighbors to come, prepped food for them to take home, and repaired a church entry ramp. This year is my company's 20th anniversary, so we stayed at a nice historic hotel on the corner of Forest Park. Somehow I was given a suite so I had this huge living room/dining area with an ornate arch ceiling. I joked with people that if anyone knew royalty or dignitaries I could host them in my suite. I was so busy though, I didn't really spend much time in the room. 

This location was only .50 miles from the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis so I had the chance to walk down one morning for 7 am daily mass. That was such a beautiful experience. The morning was dim and quiet as I walked down the sidewalk flanked with residential condos/apartments on either side of the road. I noticed a few young physicians leaving their homes to walk over to the nearby hospital to start their shift. The sun was rising quietly behind the dome of the Basilica. The Basilica is known for the something like 40 million mosaic tiles, artwork, and grand architectural design. It is certainly very grand. I was so thankful to be able to see it while I was staying close by. After the early mass, I headed back to the hotel for the breakfast and events to follow. 

I call this all an opportunity as I see it as a blessing to be able to go. To connect with people in person is such an important part of being human and it adds a special closeness in the work world where we can so easily get stuck in our own small bubble. I get to see another city that has a lot of history - over the years I have been able to experience different areas and historical places. A lot has happened in that city and it has beautiful bones to it's architecture downtown and surrounding. I think that's what I noticed most on this trip - with the historic hotel we stayed in, the Cathedral Basilica, and a quick drive into part of downtown, I noticed the architecture more than ever before, and the beauty of it. So much from the end of the 19th and early 20th century when buildings were made with ornate details and care. It is something we can continue to do today if we choose - to build our lives, relationships, and buildings with care and detail.