Standing at Point Zero

This stone in Istanbul, standing at the corner opposite to Hagia Sophia, was part of a Byzantine arch that was used to indicate the center of the known universe. Litterally the zero-mile-marker for the Roman Empire. All roads in the vast Roman empire were measured from this point. In England we stood at the end of one of these roads which was, as all Roman roads, marked with a tree. The tree which the Romans planted at the end of every road is known as the Sadrat-el-Muntaha, the tree beyond which there is no passing.... (For mystics it is a metaphor for the Prophet of God in each age.) What also makes this place special is that we live in Victoria B.C. which is mile ‘0’ for the trans-Canada highway which crosses from there to Newfoundland. We all know what to think of the end of the road in Newfoundland, with little or no trees, but I wonder if anyone in Victoria would be so bold as to consider themselves to be the center of the universe as those living at this point in the world did...