Feb 19, 2014

Vanishing Love


This iconic metal sculpture created by Robert Indiana, is found in center city Philadelphia in a small spot of respite from urban life officially titled JFK Plaza, but this special space is more appropriately, locally called Love Park. Placed there in 1976, day and night there are people waiting to take photographs and be photographed in front of this fun symbol of one of our most basic emotional and physical needs.

Several times over this past year, I have been blessed here with the opportunity to love others less fortunate than myself in the act of providing a warm meal, a kind heart and open ear to the many homeless people who 'live' in and around this park. Although I can clearly see that such a time of nourishment is greatly appreciated by those whose lives paths have taken them to a difficult place, when I have been there, I have always been the one that is more nourished....not in my flesh, but in my spirit, to offer up a small bit of my time for them. In the process, I have had many interesting and challenging conversations as to my faith, love and life in general with the people I have met. Obviously life's experiences form a large part of who we are and what we think and it is always profitably to talk with those of differing opinions as to how and why life has challenged us the varied ways it has.It has been me, when I truly have opened my heart, whose views have been altered in trying to honestly see things that my comfortable life has not presented.

While there, I have also challenged myself to keep my photographic eyes open as well. One one of those evenings, rain dampened us and with it, presented some spots to make some images. I love the rain in the city, for all of it seems to come alive in the reflections of the wet surfaces around me. Below are some images from that evening that are of the fountain in the middle of the park, the adjoining streets and buildings including the Suburban train terminal, City hall (a beautiful example of Second Empire architecture in itself) and some general photographs I made, all from within the confines of the park itself.

As to love, I am certainly no expert on the topic, but have found in this life there are many, many kinds of love waiting for expression within us, from the veritably romantic to brotherly love, to ones of deep care, others that are exciting, or tender, or fun and in the case of this ministry, sacrificial. After 53 years, I see there are many other more forms of this thing called love that I will never likely experience, but to know and feel any one of them is always a good thing for the soul as that is where the heart is allowed to grow.

Sadly, just the other day, I was told by a ministry partner that this wonderful park in the next few years is to be dismantled and replaced with 4 restaurants, to 'update' center city. This news struck me enough to find these images and make this post. If true, I am sure the sculpture will be relocated or integrated somewhere and the worn residents that now sleep in it's boundaries will be scattered elsewhere. It's a shame.... for the very nature... the name of this place and the meaning it has for me along with the care found there in which I am a very small participant, I am sure will change too. I hope that wherever this 'lovely' piece of metal ends up, there too will love be expressed to those with less than meaningful love in their lives, for to live life without love, is to not truly live... at all.