Roman Art

The Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit was here.

I went and saw it last weekend with my husband and some friends... it was so beautiful and poignant. There is something really gripping about looking at things that were created by human hands over 1500 years ago. Seeing the talent they had to sculpt rock into the human likenesses of some of the world's most powerful people (whether they were accurate representations or not) is enough to give you pause. On top of that to see these mosaic floors that used to be in the homes of people in cities like Antioch. I couldn't help but think of Paul, the world traveler and it hit me that he could have actually stepped on these same tiles. I found myself in a really pensive mood because of the influence of cold stone, lifeless gold, and shimmering jewelry. Staring into the face of a woman who's been dead for almost 2000 years is a little deep to comprehend. It added depth to the life of the early Christians for me because they walked among these or similar items.

I'm glad I went, it was an opportunity to gain some perspective on life. Somehow contemplating the fact that so many people have lived, but are now dead helps me to approach my fleeting life with a little more gravity. I only have a little while, and the chances of people someday looking at a life size carving of me is really slim. Leading me to the conclusion that I have to make a difference while I'm breathing because that's all I've got.