From the Desk of Murray Lincoln: Coming Home to the Cathedral

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Coming Home to the Cathedral - Regina

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Today’s Blog Post

Coming Home to the Cathedral - Regina

Yesterday as my wife and I drove down the familiar old streets again I had a lump in my throat. This was home for us… and is still “home” in a way… even though we live 1700 miles from here.

We are in Regina at the moment. We returned to the heart of it all for both of us. We have lived all over the world but Regina is still “home” for us!!!

Through a unique series of events we were able to come “home” on Friday. When the Retreat in Manitoba, that I was speaking at, closed on Friday, the Director suggested that we might take his vehicle and drive over to Saskatchewan. What a gift!

After a few phone calls and the kindness of our friends Phil and Joanne… we have a place to stay and have had a few days to visit many folks. We actually need about a week to see everyone… but that can’t happen this time around.

The best part of the trip was seeing my wife’s sister at her door… in a bit a shocked moment when she opened the door to her sister standing there grinning. This kind of reunion was more than special! No I didn’t take a photo of that… I was taking in the moment which was priceless!

What a gift… on Father’s Day 2011 – I am home with my bride… but our daughters are somewhere today with their families at a sporting event or two… 1700 miles away! Too funny!

That small introduction to this thought of the “Cathedral”.

My mom used to live in the Cathedral Area of the Regina. Not far from where she lived is a huge Catholic Cathedral that is the centre of much of what we knew. The trees of that part of the city are reaching far into the sky and form a natural arch over the streets… forming their own Cathedral Domed ceiling. It is amazing to drive through… I hope the photos below help you to see what I mean.

(Above and below - the House that I grew up in... the brown one in the middle)

Now if you know anything of Regina you will know that it is a city that was built in the centre of a Bald Prairie… with basically nothing around it but flat and endless prairie… that goes one forever.

But through hard work and much endurance the city and the people have transformed that flat prairie into a special city that draws people in.

Now I know many people from other parts of Canada and even the world will not see what we see. It is not the trees… the prairie… the water and rivers… it is the heart of friendly people. People like this start loving you and never stop. It is the one main reason we come home.

I have traveled all over the world. I have walked in and through absolutely amazing Cathedrals of all kinds… and all kinds of faith groups… but Regina is my Cathedral… my special place where my heart rests.

As we bask in these moments through the kindness of special people… we savor every moment. And I say thank you to a whole bunch of people that made this Father’s Day very special.

Yesterday I spent some time at my Father’s grave… that was a very special moment…