He’s an architect and he loves cathedrals. Can you imagine how exciting it was to be invited to submit plans and a proposal for the world’s largest cathedral?
The drawings filled me with awe. Words can’t describe the grandeur his plans invoked: the grandness of God and of man, the depth of skill and brilliance required to even conceive of something so massive, let alone build it. I searched for the most impressive cathedral image I could find, but the one I’m posting doesn’t compare to the scale of this project.
His designs are amazing, but the way he designed it is even more amazing. He saw the cathedral in its entirety in a dream. When he woke, he transferred his dream images to paper exactly as he had experienced them.
And I think it’s pretty cool that my dreams are giving me PowerPhrases!
His proposal made the short list. He almost got the job. But the project went to another firm which had more experience in this specific kind of project.
I asked him what he thought of the winning design. “It was informed,” he replied.
Informed, but not inspired.
I always thought it would be a kick to be an architect and to see your designs turn into buildings. At first I was disappointed that my architect friend’s proposal wasn’t picked and he won’t get to see his design built.
But then I remembered – he saw it completed already.
There are a lot of ways to be inspired. There also are a lot of ways to experience gratification. Right now, I’m feeling very gratified from standing so close to this man’s informed and inspired dream.
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” Thoreaux
Or not. Not every dream castle or cathedral needs to be built to have value.
And, not every dream castle or cathedral needs to be the biggest in the world.
