When I started thinking about Lisa’s prompt of Reflection and community I immediately had lots of ideas: mirror reflection; thinking about past, present and future; thinking about  people or events; thinking about what person am I: how do I belong?; then how they would relate to different communities.

This led me to my parents visiting Canada back in 1968 for two months where dad was training a harness horse for an international race. While there mum, of irish catholic background, had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Basilica Notre Dame in Montreal. Now in 2019 I had the fantastic opportunity to teach at Ailsa Craig in Ontario, Canada. After teaching my husband and I spent some time in Canada and got to visit the Harness Racing Museum in Toronto where the great grand daughter (Grades Singing) of the horse dad trained (Le Chant) was in their Hall of Fame. After this we went to Montreal and visited the Basilica Notre Dame.

What a stunning building and such a reflective space. Upon entering we were in awe at the craftmenship of the build as well as the fact that the architect was a James O’Donnell. My grandparents were O’Donnells so there are generations of them in the family!

It was special to think that my mum had been there so many years ago (she passed away in 2005) and how proud she would’ve been that I got to visit as well.

The Basilica itself was a place of reflection and prayer and this was seen by visiting as everybody who entered, whether a tourist or there for prayer, respected the space, respected the silence.

I also wondered about Notre Dame in Paris and the recent fires – how much was lost physically but more importantly how such a meeting place for the catholic community and other Parisians was lost. Has this caused the community to disperse? are they supporting each other?

For me I connect into my family community, my faith community, my traveling community – there are all sorts of connections. It should be interesting to see how my piece reflects all of this but I am sure there will be some of that gorgeous blue in there!