I love to watch the light flow through stained glass. Sometimes it rushes in, illuminating everything at once. Other times, it enters slowly, quietly, as if there’s a sleeping baby in the room.

There’s a sweet warmth as the sunlight kisses each color pane awake. Like people, some colors awaken quickly. Yellow pops up, smiling, immediately radiant. Others, like orange and red, stretch as they awaken, taking time to grab a cup of coffee or a Diet Coke before they’re ready to shine. The darker colors need more coaxing. Purple rolls over, pretending to still be asleep. Dark green grumbles, “Go away, it’s Saturday,” but rallies nonetheless.

Once warm, the show begins. The colors cast themselves onto the floor, the carpet, the pews, and even your shoes. When the angle of the sun changes, the colors shift, finding new surfaces to illuminate.

I love to watch the light.