The third place

In the last entry, I pondered upon the place that ‘earthes’ you. However, the place of course depends on the individual. One place does not serve everyone. Here is some more ramble of my mind.

During the Christmas break, I had a chance to visit Paris. Before leaving London, one of my classmates told me I would like Monmartre described as an artsy district, so there I was.

Knowing nothing about Paris as always when I travel,,, after shaking off shady street kids (who literally grabbed my arm) and climbing up the hill, what I found was something different than only the artistic streets.

It was Sacré-Cœur Basilica, towering and looking over the town, radiant even under a cloudy sky. In reminiscence of St. Paul’s, I walked in. I found a place to sit for a while – a while as long as I wanted. With eyes closed, I reflected upon the last term, friends always in my heart, and felt the very moment.

Then something came through my mind. Among others who are also deep in their prayers, my thoughts perched on this idea: ‘the purpose of the place.’ Come to think of it, most of the places seem to have their own purposes, and religious sights are a clear epitome. They have been there (often for a long while in the history), serving as a space for people to pray or to congregate with the community of the same values. When my thread of thoughts reached this point, I realised a familiar feeling. It was not long before I remembered the notion of ‘the third place,’ which I came to know about through Gretchen before. As opposed to the first place being home, the second workplace, the third place is an informal environment where you can find a place in the community.

We choose the third place according to the purpose, and it provides the space where we meet people in a context different from other places, probably in a more comfortable way. Why do we find it cozy in the third place then?

Though it sounds that the trick lies in the place itself, it begins in our own psyche. We first have our mindsets ready for the place, and as you already know that everyone shares the same values (although they might be temporary ones), it becomes much easier to mingle at the venue. ‘The purpose’ does not belong to the place but ourselves.

I also remembered that in a discussion during the GIST travel, Gretchen (sorry not to put you on the spot…) mentioned about the moments/places where people become more open than they normally are. I think it applies to traveling itself.

On a travel, I feel my senses are more open trying to feel the unknown, and if that occurs to all, sharing the same psychological moments, why not call travels our cathedral?