Taize, France

Good Night!

Currently I am in my little sisters bed, with a flashlight on my shoulder, an observation journal on her back (she is sleeping), typing on my computer, and listening to her nocturnal hamster Ella, chew annoyingly on her cage. It is quite a zoo in her room. However it's much warmer in her room than it is in mine. Alas, I am finished complaining and will move on...

Today when I was daydreaming in my math class I was thinking about the most beautiful place I have visited. I was thinking that it was somewhere in America, because America is beautiful. But then I got into thinking about the countries I've visited that aren't overly Americanized. (Amazing! "Americanized" is literally a word...)

What I started thinking about, and singing about, was Taize, France. I will be really, really surprised if you know what that place looks like or what they do there. 

So let me show you.

Taize, France is located in The West of France. It almost neighbors with Switzerland, which in my opinion is a beautiful place too. Taize is a Catholic Monastery. There are about 200 brothers that live there 34 hours a day, 7 days a year, for the rest of their lives. I was lucky enough to visit there when I was 16, for a whole week. 

Anyway, after I came home from back to school night, I went into my room to find the journal I kept while I was staying there. I briefly read through all of the journal entries and reflected on what a peaceful and tranquil place Taize is. 

Every day I would be awoken by bells at 7:45. I would then get ready for breakfast, which was a baguette, butter and a chocolate stick. Then everyone, meaning the 4,000 youth that were living there that week, would go to service. That was the crazy thing about being there. Nobody knew the same language, but after being there for less than 24 hours, when the bells went off, everyone knew exactly what to do. 

After this trip, my hunger for God only grew. While I was at the monastery, I attended service three times a day. While it was mandatory, the experience I had in there was mind blowing. Sure, I didn't know what most of the people were saying because it was in a different language, but the way that they meditated was unreal. They sang songs in every possible language and sang the few lines over and over again for five to ten minutes. Everyone also was instructed not to speak and we all had to sit on the floor for the hour long services too. And yes, my legs did fall asleep often, but I made it through just fine.

If you ever get the chance to visit this place, take advantage of it. This is one big reason why God is a part of my life and what makes me me today. I don't know if Taize is beautiful to me because of how God changed me that week, or because it really is just one of the most beautiful places on this earth. I guess if you want to know, you'll just have to go there and find out for yourself!

Madalyn

P.S. For all of you who have been reading, I have almost been off Facebook for a week. (silent cheer for me!) 

P.S.S. Back to School Night was tonight and it was amazing. The parent support in my school is unreal and so are the beautiful children that I work with everyday!