The other day my daughter and I got into Waterbury too early for her choir rehearsal, so we took a walk around the corner to pick up my paycheck in the Chase Building, built in 1919 as a headquarters for the Chase family's charitable and business ventures. It's a formerly beautiful building that the city has let run down since it purchased it from the Chase family for $1 in 1963, but it's not hard to imagine how splendid it was in its time. My daughter was immediately taken by the Palladian window in the stairwell, and she was quick to find the line by Abraham Lincoln in the leading.
We stopped for a moment to read it and a moment more for me to photograph it. We talked about what Lincoln might have meant by "manly"--strong, generous, courageous, honorable--and thought we could strive for this kind of heart, too.
On the way back to the church, my daughter picked up on many other beautiful buildings, monuments, and natural works of art in the form of trees that marked our way. She didn't pick up on the rust, the broken stonework, the debris. It was all good.
What's better than a few extra minutes in the company of a bright-eyed optimist?
We stopped for a moment to read it and a moment more for me to photograph it. We talked about what Lincoln might have meant by "manly"--strong, generous, courageous, honorable--and thought we could strive for this kind of heart, too.
On the way back to the church, my daughter picked up on many other beautiful buildings, monuments, and natural works of art in the form of trees that marked our way. She didn't pick up on the rust, the broken stonework, the debris. It was all good.
What's better than a few extra minutes in the company of a bright-eyed optimist?
17 Comments
The Palladian window is really nice. Love that's it black & white too.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week ahead Sandy!!
Unexpected pleasures are some of my life's best treasures!
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNow that is really pretty
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy Easter! Beautiful black and white photos which are made more beautiful by Lincoln's quotes. Good, that a few minutes spent w/ your daughter made this moment unfaded.
ReplyDeleteI hope Abe the blogger comes by and sees this.
ReplyDeleteI think your daughter has a good eye for beauty.
Beautiful black and white photos. Love the inspirational quotes too. Hope you and your family are having a good Easter Sandy.
ReplyDeleteWhat's better? Nothing at all !!!
ReplyDeletewhere is this do you have other shots of this building It6 may make a great sketch
ReplyDeleteYou have taught her to see those things. That is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHave you read "Mister God, this is Anna?" Adella's view of the world reminds me of Anna in that book... :-)
ReplyDeleteLincoln wouldn't have said it but we can go forth with a "womanly heart" also. And it would mean a sympathetic, peaceful, loving heart...right, Sandy?
ReplyDeleteI think so, Mary, and I think each of us can do both!
ReplyDeleteAmen and how beautiful are the non-begrudging souls of children!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteBeauty in glass
ReplyDeleteThe folks in Waterbury need to read this piece and remember their history. The Chase Building and Waterbury City Hall were designed by Cass Gilbert.
ReplyDeleteGilbert combined historic architectural forms with modern technologies in creating the Woolworth Building and the Minnesota State Capitol, which introduced new methods in dome construction.
Praised often for a period of about 30 years, his designs were though of as a bit pedestrian in the 1950s. But today they are thought of as classics.
Thanks for being here.