The Mysteries of Life

Have you ever been to the BrainPOP website?  It's chock full of educational videos on many different subjects from Yo-Yo Ma, to how to find the main idea in a story.  In each episode, the host Tim and his robot sidekick Moby attempt to solve "The Mysteries of Life".  I would post a picture for you, but I'm not about to test my luck against the copyright gods.  Instead, you can check them out for yourself - here's a free video on blogs.  I highly suggest that you take a look.

So, you may be wondering what educational videos and robots have to do with my trip to London.  Here is the connecting piece:

Stonehenge - a wonderful and beautiful mystery.  Today, we visited this awesome work of prehistoric architecture.  Around 5,000 years ago, the first bits of Stonehenge went under construction.  Although this landmark is iconic for the huge bluestones and sarsen stones erected at its center, the first phases only included earthwork.  At the time, a ditch and a bank were dug using the antlers from deer.  At around the year 2000 BC the bluestones from nearly 240 miles away, and the sarsen stones from almost 20 miles away were hauled down to the site.  It is thought that Stonehenge was completed in 1500 BC.

Scientists have many explainations for how these 4 ton bluestone and 50 ton sarsen stone slabs were traversed across miles and lifted to their upright position.  What seems to be the great mystery is what exactly Stonehenge was used for.  Magic, burial, navigation, worship?  All of these suggestions have been thrown about - I believe that it will forever remain a mystery of life.

I bet that on a day when tourists aren't flashing cameras, or pressing up against the ropes, straining for a better view - the air around Stonehenge becomes still and hushed.  Energy of past lives must buzz around and tell stories of days gone by.

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The second part of our journey found us in the town of Salisbury, where we visited the Salisbury Cathedral.

This remarkable French Gothic style cathedral was constructed in only 38 years and is home to the tallest spire in Europe.  The only word I have for it is breathtaking.  Although I do not consider myself a very religious person, I can see why people feel a strong connection to their devotion in a place like this.

The church was lovely, but so was our tour guide - I'm just sorry I can't remember his name.

I have much respect and appreciation for those who are as thrilled to share their knowledge with any listening ear as this gentleman was.  My favorite thing about the mystery tour guide was how he filled in mysteries of the church with his imagination.  Of course, he let us know when he was telling fact and when he was telling his own theorized fiction.  An image that has stuck with me after a long day was him standing in a small room of the church, showing us carvings of those who worked on the church.  He said "I can just imagine these men standing next to each other carving out the person to their left ... oops, your nose is too big here, let me take care of that."  Believe me, it was much better when he said it.

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Looking back on the mysteries of today, I realized something quite important.  Libraries are vital to not only the solving, but the creating of these beautiful mysteries.  The more you learn, the less you know.  I am a true believer in that.  I hope that I always stay curious, for there are far too many things that still remain a mystery to me.

 

Tara, out.