I was walking back from my gig at Stanford today (my hotel is on El Camino Real, just outside of campus) and I saw on a map that if I deviated just a bit, I could see the cactus garden and also something labeled the “Angel of Grief.” It was a decent hike, and so I had time to wonder what I would find. I assumed that it would be some sort of sculpture, but I had no preconceived notions of what a piece of art with that title might be like.
When I saw it, I understood, and It moved me. The angel is strong, swift, and powerful, yet she grieves. Head down on the alter. Was she powerless to prevent some specific tragedy, or is her grief for all of us and the misery in the world. If even angels grieve what does that say about me? The proximity to the Stanford medical center is undoubtedly intentional.
Leave a Reply