There are few places here in DC that offer such a serene, cool calm as the Washington National Cathedral.  It’s a place that inspires quiet reflection while dazzling the eyes with its beauty.  There is something about places of worship –regardless of denomination– that appeals to a collective reverence inside all of us.

For some reason, I feel we could use a place like this right now, as a city.  Death has a similar way of bringing out that collective reverence and allowing us to attain a place of, if certainly not peace, at least of perspective.

_________

In case you’ve been living under a rock here in DC, the city has been saddened by the sudden and violent death of Sean Taylor — Redskins safety, son, father,  and my personal favorite Easterns motors trainer— yesterday.

I’ve read some excellent and sad commentary (<–requires reg. –sorry) on the Washington Post and in local blogs; commentary on being a black youth in America, and commentary on violent crime regardless of race.  Whenever death comes around, and whenever a public death happens to all of us we search for answers. 

But sometimes what we need to do is take a look in the reflection of the life the deceased left behind: see the beautiful colors and the love that was poured into that person who is no longer with us, and be glad that they lived.