This will probably come as no surprise to those of you who have a little insight in to my personal likes, but the other night I was watching an old sci-fi, end of the world movie, and something struck me near the films ending. As the world was, on screen anyway, being destroyed and human kind was facing extinction, I found it intriguing that people gathered together to face their doom....at church. So many films, such as Independence Day, show people gathering together to pray and supplicate as the battle rages on.

We hear report after report that church attendance is in the decline in the U.S. This article isn't meant to nudge people back in to church attendance (although in my opinion that's not a bad thing) but to pose to you the question I asked myself watching the movie. If the world really was ending, if your world was really ending, where would you go?

If you watch Wheel of Fortune these days, you know that the contestant trying to solve the final phrase is automatically given a set of letters, and can then choose a few more individually, so I'll give you a couple of freebies.

Scott Webb via Unsplash
Scott Webb via Unsplash
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The first, home. I think it would certainly be reasonable and rational to want to get home a be with family in any time of stress. There's comfort there and, hopefully, total acceptance. Our homes, I believe, ought to be our personal places of refuge and safety. It would be a sad indictment if that is not the case, and sadly, that indictment is getting easier to make.

Harry Miller via Unsplash
Harry Miller via Unsplash
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The second, we'll go back to church. They are natural community gathering places, with congregations having some commonality in their beliefs. So this is, to me, another natural sanctuary.

Iqx Azmi via Unspalsh
Iqx Azmi via Unspalsh
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But outside of those two, I have not come up with an answer for myself as to where I would go for sanctuary.

Dr. T
Dr. T
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I think about going out to Rachel, Nevada where there is an abundance of peace and solitude, and so wonderful people who are the full time to share with.

Dr. T
Dr. T
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Or maybe over to Bryce Canyon. It's always been attractive to me as a place of meditation and regeneration.

Trevor McKinnon via Unspalsh
Trevor McKinnon via Unspalsh
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Taking the end of the world scenario out of this, let me pose this question. Do we need places of sanctuary? My answer to that is absolutely. We need those places or those routines that let us push aside the day to day cares and pressures of life.

And it seems I'm not alone in that thought. In this Kira Grace article the writer states

All of us need to have somewhere to turn to in times of stress, uncertainty, and sadness. When we think of communal spaces that many might associate with the feeling of sanctuary, churches, monasteries, ashrams, and temples may come to mind. These physical spaces can offer feelings of belonging, understanding, safety, and peace.

I like the safety and peace aspect. I believe we all need those time and places. You ought to scroll through the entire article as there are 4 questions presented that can help us determine our personal sanctuaries.

Daniele Buso via Unsplash
Daniele Buso via Unsplash
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Don't wait for the end of the world, or, more to the point, those individual tragedies that we all will face from time to time, to find those places where we can surround ourselves with peace and security. Let's find them now, so we can be safe from the storms of life that will come...or the three eyed monsters from space.

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