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To say that something or someone is “the bane of my existence” means that the person or thing is a constant irritant or source of misery. As a cliche, “bane of my existence” has lost its edge to a large degree over the years, and today is most often applied to something that may profoundly annoy us but is certainly bearable. Telemarketers, for instance, have become the “bane” of many folks’ existence, but few of us are sufficiently distressed to turn off our telephones, and while “spam” is a daily “bane,” not many of us would dream of giving up the Internet. “Bane of my existence” is now almost always used in a semi-jocular, “what are you gonna do?” sense.

But “bane” was once a very serious word. The Old English “bana” meant literally “slayer” in the sense we now use “killer” or “murderer.” Early on, the English “bane” was also used in the more general sense of “cause of death,” and by the 14th century “bane” was used in the specialized sense of “poison,” a sense which lives on in the names of various poisonous plants such as “henbane” and “wolfbane.”

From this very literal “something that kills you” usage, “bane” by the 16th century had broadened into its modern meaning of “something that makes life unpleasant, a curse.”

Lindsey and I went on a “snap shot road trip.” A snap shot road trip is where each occupant of the car get to take turns choosing the road to drive down. As a child my mother would do road trips like this with my younger brother, sister, and me. We ended up in the most unique places. When you add the snap shot component to this style of road trip everyone also has a camera. The driver has to stop when ever someone sees a picture they want to take.

This is what we did some beautiful August day and we were not disappointed in our final destination—New Castle, Pennsylvania. We took twists and turns all around New Castle, and saw the raw beauty that is in this town. Finally, we stopped when I spotted a majestic abandoned church.

For me, old and abandoned buildings have a story just wanting to be told. Why was it abandoned? What has happened to the building since it has been tossed aside? What secrets does it hide? We may never know the answers to these questions, but at least these pictures unlock the imagination and allow us to create our own stories about this forgotten sanctuary.

I have some more photos of this desecrated church, but it is late and I will have to post them another day. ~Paul W.

“Every relationship – husband and wife, parent and child, best friends, colleagues – is dependent on trust. It is not possible to have a relationship with someone you cannot trust. The only thing you can have with someone you can’t trust, is a strategy.” ~Sheri Dew

Most Recent Holy War Outcome
BYU 26
UoU 23 (OT)

“That which is learned without joy, is forgotten without regret.” ~Merlin

“Nine tenths of education is encouragement.” ~Anatole France

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” ~John Dewey

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” ~Pablo Picasso

“The man who can make hard things easy is the educator.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” ~William Butler Yeats