World Youth Day & the Youth Day cross
I stole a lot of this from my post to JRi ;p Am lazy.
I saw the World Youth Day cross tonight, but didn't get to touch it. I probably will tomorrow at the school mass.
What I was really bummed out about was that I didn't get to write my name on the case - and there were so many, they literally covered it. Thousands of people have added to that, plus the cross has been touched and carried by thousands of people - including John Paul II - and it's part of something so big, so universal - it really swelled up the emotion in me. I mean, when I think of the meaning of the cross, it's just awesome (in the traditional sense of the word) to think about. What this simple object holds for millions of people...
I teared up and cried on the way home and then up in my room. :/ I was pretty emotional, though not just because of the cross but also the disappointment at not getting to sign the case and frustration at nearly missing it because we didn't know it was coming out of the cargo entrance and had been milling around in the terminal until my mom found us and rushed us over.
I hope I get another chance to add my part to the case, at the departure. I'd seriously run past security.
I want to go to WYD 2008, in Sydney, so badly! I think it would be this incredible experience.. I just need to raise the cash! A year in which to do so - I think it's possible. Plus I'll be 18 just in time. Very very possible, no?
Plus on this one site I've been looking information up on, it said the registration fee for 1st world countries (US, England, Canada, etc.) will be raised from $200 to $280 as an "act of social justice", so that fees for 3rd world countries may be lowered. Yay! :) It is true, that we make less money here (and other 3rd world countries), and them doing this makes it a lot easier. It didn't post the price for registration for 3rd world countries though, I'll have to look that up on the official site.
This is getting me rather excited.
Ach! I need a camera. To take pictures tommorrow, too, and at the departure. My sister can't find hers, apparently... I really want to take a picture. When will we ever get this close to the cross again? We've only been able to be feet from it because there was only a small crowd there (because the population of Palau itself is small). In other countries there must be hundreds of people trying to get near, to see it. It's really amazing.
ETA: registration is $50! Woo! :D
+ today is Youth Day in Palau! I'm not sure if this is a Palau-specific holiday or what, and whether the cross's arrival on Youth Day was planned or not, but even if it wasn't it is a pretty cool coincidence :)
I saw the World Youth Day cross tonight, but didn't get to touch it. I probably will tomorrow at the school mass.
What I was really bummed out about was that I didn't get to write my name on the case - and there were so many, they literally covered it. Thousands of people have added to that, plus the cross has been touched and carried by thousands of people - including John Paul II - and it's part of something so big, so universal - it really swelled up the emotion in me. I mean, when I think of the meaning of the cross, it's just awesome (in the traditional sense of the word) to think about. What this simple object holds for millions of people...
I teared up and cried on the way home and then up in my room. :/ I was pretty emotional, though not just because of the cross but also the disappointment at not getting to sign the case and frustration at nearly missing it because we didn't know it was coming out of the cargo entrance and had been milling around in the terminal until my mom found us and rushed us over.
I hope I get another chance to add my part to the case, at the departure. I'd seriously run past security.
I want to go to WYD 2008, in Sydney, so badly! I think it would be this incredible experience.. I just need to raise the cash! A year in which to do so - I think it's possible. Plus I'll be 18 just in time. Very very possible, no?
Plus on this one site I've been looking information up on, it said the registration fee for 1st world countries (US, England, Canada, etc.) will be raised from $200 to $280 as an "act of social justice", so that fees for 3rd world countries may be lowered. Yay! :) It is true, that we make less money here (and other 3rd world countries), and them doing this makes it a lot easier. It didn't post the price for registration for 3rd world countries though, I'll have to look that up on the official site.
This is getting me rather excited.
Ach! I need a camera. To take pictures tommorrow, too, and at the departure. My sister can't find hers, apparently... I really want to take a picture. When will we ever get this close to the cross again? We've only been able to be feet from it because there was only a small crowd there (because the population of Palau itself is small). In other countries there must be hundreds of people trying to get near, to see it. It's really amazing.
ETA: registration is $50! Woo! :D
+ today is Youth Day in Palau! I'm not sure if this is a Palau-specific holiday or what, and whether the cross's arrival on Youth Day was planned or not, but even if it wasn't it is a pretty cool coincidence :)