The pic is from the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, USA. This piece is called the "Rose Window" and was designed and built by Rowan LaCompte.
I was on my way home from a nice breakfast at my local Panera cafe while I was listening to NPR and heard Mr LaCompte's story. This man started at age 16 in his field of painting and architecture and the like. His works include 45 stained glass windows and 6 mosaic murals in the National Cathedral. As I listened to the NPR interview I was struck by his religious views.
The NPR reporter had stated that it suddenly occured to him how Rowan's works caught the awe and the religious sense of most everyone who viewed the works. The awe and sense that most people felt was that of God. The reporter then asked Mr LaCompte if he believed in God. His answer was "I believe in love and kindness and if that is what God is then I am delighted." Rowan then added about his thoughts of hopes for an afterlife and to see all the people who he loved dearly but had died, especially his brother and his mother whom he called the most loving and kind person in the world.
Further into this short interview Mr, LaCompte wished that the churches and religions of today would show love and kindness to everyone and not spend their time yelling at people and telling them that they would go to hell. Touche, Mr LaCompte!!!
At the end of the interview a story was told about the ladies who give the tours of the Cathedral. You see, Mr Lacompte's stained glass windows and the power of the sun passing through them would cast colorful lights inside of the cathedrals. One day a 5 year old girl had found this big red circle inside the cathedral and was happily dancing in it. The guides asked her what she was doing. The little girl said "I have found the end of the rainbow!" Indeed she had!
