Late summer at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. I have visited this garden numerous times, but have never been able to walk across the bridge in the background. It has a gate that is always closed. Maybe you have to be special to cross that bridge. The map of the garden has a special notation: "This area is not open to the public." Ah, you have to be VERY special, not one of the common folk. I have never seen anyone over on this island when I have been there. So the criteria for entrance must be quite exclusive.

But if you are one of the common folk, as most of us are, you can cross the stream on the stepping stones in the foreground of the photo. That still won't get you on the island, but you will belong to a very large group--the inclusive, non-special, common public. It is good to know that I am part of something bigger than me. I have felt excluded so many times that this is a wonderful affirmation that I belong to the Common Public.

I imagine there is a special reason that the public cannot be admitted to the picturesque bridge. On the other hand I can imagine a thousand picture possibilities if only my subject or the photographer could stand on that bridge. Now that would be special.

After I posted this, Judy heard from a friend that the tea house island is open for tours, three days per week. And I learned further that: At the end of the bridge stands a snow viewing lantern, yukimi-doro, a gift from St. Louis's sister city of Suwa, Japan. The teahouse itself, a gift from Missouri's sister state of Nagano, Japan, is sacred in Japanese culture. This soan, or "farm hut" style teahouse, was built in Japan, reassembled here by Japanese craftsmen, and dedicated with a Shinto ceremony in 1977. The teahouse is screened by hedges to create a sense of remoteness.

I certainly did not intend any disrespect to a location that is considered sacred, although I find every place to be sacred.