FEATURE | LUMEN
11
Solace
By Jamie Ho
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The whole day had been filled with incessant noise : classroom discussion , hallway gossip , lunchtime chatter . I felt suffocated . I got out of my seat while the conversation among my friends continued . The scuffle of a mouse would be drowned out in a parade of elephants .
I walked out from the canteen and onto the track . Sharp rays from the afternoon sun hit my face as I walked past the principal ’ s office over to the only single storey building in the campus - the Chapel of the Divine Presence . I entered , the high ceilings amplifying my silent footsteps against the marble tiles . The ferocity of pattering footsteps and slamming doors have long faded . The constant chaotic chatter that echoes through hallways can no longer be
heard .
I scanned the room . Light shone through the blue-stained glass , casting a cool hue on the room – even my white school uniform seemed to glow . Not much has changed over the past three years since the school underwent redevelopment .
One thing that is currently missing is the organ . When a mass starts and everyone staggers to rise , the gentle sounds from the organ would echo throughout the Chapel , bringing everyone into a solemn yet meditative mood . One of the the most fondly remembered organists was a former rugby player , who will ring out beautiful tunes whenever his fingers fluttered over the black and white keys . “ He was brilliant ,” my friends told me .
I whipped out my phone and opened my music app . The soft rhythms of the hymn flooded the room ; you don ’ t always need silence to have peace . I said a soft prayer before I left , and while I knew that the moment I step out of this place of solace , the chaos of the school would return , but at the same time I knew that I could handle it . The serenity in the chapel gave me space to sort out my thoughts , let me reposition myself , and to prepare myself for the hectic schedules ahead .
You are bound to find solace and comfort in the chapel , even if one is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of school activities . It is in this place that you can then find yourself recharged , and find your footing before continuing your gruelling journey again .