Grotto of Lourdes

I have passed this shrine at Mount St. Mary's college so many times that it had simply become part of the scenery.

I think the main thing that Blip has done for me is to give me a reason to listen to the voice that says "hey, you should take a picture of that." I have had that voice in my head since I got my first camera. As time went on, it faded away. I got to the point where I might casually consider stopping/turning around if I saw something, but never did. Now I do it without hesitation. It doesn't always work out, but what does?

When I look at this picture I will remember not only the beauty of the place, but how rewarding it was to listen to the voice and go a little outside of my routine.

The grotto itself is a labyrinth of pathways, monuments, and fountains - a very natural and peaceful setting. It is supposedly the "oldest known replica of the revered French shrine, dating to about 1875 (the original Lourdes apparitions were in 1858). The Grotto has been in use since 1805 when Fr. John Dubois founded it as a place of prayer and devotion."