A Grail Quest: Discovery of a Mysterious Knight’s Templar Cave in Brazil

By Kathleen Ball Ph.D.

Grail Quests often begin with
what seems like normal travel adventures, but then suddenly turn into divine
synchronistic events that makes one feel as though they’re being guided by the Universe.I was to find out, two years
later, that many local people knew about this cave. Teenagers even partied in
it, as we could see from their graffiti, so what was the big secret? The cave’s
location was obviously not a secret, but apparently no one understood the
significance of that specific cross. What the cave was carved out for turned
out to be the secret, helping me to later understand why the Templars dug it
out in the middle of nowhere.I returned that evening to our
pousada a different person. Something had fundamentally changed within me. I
felt that somehow, this discovery was part of my destiny. The Universe had
unmistakably directed me to this cav 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Winsome Entertainment Group
• Release date: Jul 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888964484

Kathleen Ball Ph.D.

Kathleen’s life work took a dramatic turn in 2015 after the Butte Fire in Northern California transformed her life. Nine days prior to this fire she had just returned from Brazil after discovering a Knights Templar cave near a small town called Alto Paraiso. Several weeks later she underwent a liver transplant, making it necessary to recuperate  for a year and allowing her time to contemplate her future. Up until these events Kathleen had been a professional artist and educator whose artwork was an expression of her life experiences. With a background in Anatomy, Sculpture, multimedia, archeology, mythology, metaphysics and mysticism she uses whatever media that best exemplifies the concept she wishes to convey. Since 2017, her art has taken the form of Documentary. Her most recent Documentary, The Brazilian Templar Mystery was completed in 2019 and sold to Gaia TV in 2020 and has been out on Gaia TV since January 2021. She plans to create a series of documentaries backtracking the history of the Templars prior to their arrival in Brazil and North America. Her passion has always been Researching global mythology, mystical and spiritual belief systems world wide. Her works are inspired by ancient indigenous art, archeological discoveries and how these discoveries are relevant to our modern world. Her fine art installations, Union of Opposites, Fallen Angels and the Daughters of Man, Unearthing the Goddess, Union, Transfiguration have exhibited in San Francisco, Sacramento, The Bay Area, Canada, Germany and New Zealand. Her portraits, Willie, Daniel in the Lions Den, Mary Magdalene, Leonardo da Vinci etc are in private collections throughout the world, Leonardo da Vinci is in the da Vinci Museum in Vinci Italy. Kathleen has participated in solo and group exhibitions worldwide, with the majority of her work showing in Northern California, taking numerous 1st, 2nd and Best of Show awards throughout California.  Her current paintings include: Isis Through the Ages, Between Two Dimensions, Angelic Encounter, The Priestess, her series, The Goddesses, Rising From The Ashes, Destiny Embraced and Ayahuasca. Her current sculptures include, Sumerian Gods, Sumerian Goddesses, Eternal Love, Denisovan Woman and Woman in Contemplation.  Her mixed media re-creations which she prepared for “Beyond Anagama” which will show once Covid is over, were created from the remnants of debris and pieces of sculpture, glass, bits of melted metal etc, collected from the Ashes of the Butte Fire which leveled her home and studio in 2015, destroying most of her 40 years of artwork. She wrote a short story about this experience which was published in “Out Of The Fire”, A Calaveras Anthology, published by Manzanita Writers Press.  Kathleen’s many years in the Art world have included, creating art, teaching and designing curriculum for students in public schools, private institutions, two colleges, doing demos and exhibitions for numerous county fairs and art organizations, art television tutorials, (Art and Culture with Kathleen Ball) and creating Open Studio tours in Amador and Calaveras Counties, participation in Second Saturday art tours in Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, Ca. and teaching private lessons to students from 4-98.  The continual evolution of Kathleen’s art has taken many forms ie; fine art, multimedia, installation, television, writing and documentaries.   She finds her joy in her “boots on the ground” explorations of ancient sites and expressing her discoveries via fine art, her documentary, The Brazilian Templars Mystery and most recently in her book, My Grail Quest, and Discovery of a Mysterious Templar Cave in Brazil.  Education: BA Union University 1995 MFA Academy of Art University 1999 Ph, D University of Metaphysical Science 2011 MS University of Metaphysical Science 2010 BS University of Metaphysical Science 2009 Kathleen’s contact info: FB Kathleen Anne Ball Templars in Brazil, or Amazon Jungle Tours 

Book preview

Foreword

It is rare that we are given a behind-the-scenes account of an author engaged in the pursuit of Knight Templar mysteries. The pages to follow are quite the opposite of the historians you are familiar with if you are an avid reader of Templar information.

Historians can be guilty of focusing on preserving an image of steel as they boil down an exciting chapter of our history to boring dust. Hiding their humanity behind a wall and forgetting the humanity of the human beings across time that have been part of the Holy Grail story of us all. A story inexplicably tied to the Knights Templar.

Dr. Kathleen Ball open-heartedly shares her life story in this mystical autobiography with all the drama of the Biblical Job. Dr. Ball has been sorely tested in life, but has a resiliency and determination born out of an Invisible Calling.

She embarked upon the Hero’s Archetypal Journey made clear to us through the wisdom of Joseph Campbell. With each brave step through life-threatening illness, the murder of her husband, fire, and overcoming addiction, she was given jewels of spirit and of historical discovery for her unshakable faith on the path.

I found myself immersed and in awe of her determination to overcome. Dr. Ball is the first author in the Templar world to write an autobiography. Its time has come!

The wonders of social media brought Dr Kathleen Ball into my life. She and I exist in a small pond made even smaller as the population base of women involved in Templar research are few. I appreciated that she was drawn to my book, The Secret Dossier of a Knight Templar of the Sangreal, and reached out.

I share a further kinship with her as she has the courage to travel and investigate in the field. Nature is not always kind or cooperative as she found out and has unabashedly shared in the pages to follow.

She has given us a new chapter of original discoveries in the Templar world, and this is no small feat considering how long the Templars have been under a microscope. New information is elusive but can strike when least expected.

I have seen her film The Brazilian Templars Mystery and you should too! She literally beats back the hazards of nature for the sake of knowledge and spiritual discovery. I wish I’d been standing next to her when she discovered the lost cave of the exiled Knights Templar, seeking to build a New Jerusalem safe from persecution.

While reading her book from the heart, I felt as if I were sitting next to a friend who was sharing her journey rather than reading a dry book of facts and dates. She is truthful, engaging, intellectual, and a fine artist – a rare combination. She organized and facilitated her film and book by connecting with souls who care about the larger questions, seeking with integrity and the desire to share.

The more I found out about her, my respect and appreciation grew. She has overcome obstacles both in the field and in her personal life one of which would have stopped most in their tracks.

I have had similar experiences in this field of investigation, and it is almost as if there is a force of will set against us in discovering the past of the Knights Templar. Those close to me have remarked upon this as they watched me tackle my own travails.

I was glad for us all that Dr Ball remained undaunted and accepted the challenges of the invisible world. This doctor does not take ‘no’ for an answer! She faces life and her work with courage, passion and is a strong link in the chain, rediscovering and preserving Templarism for the future. She is a true Sister of great heart, and the historic Knights Templar would have been proud to count her as one of their own. Yes, there were women Templars!

Dr. Ball’s work has opened a new chapter for those of us who are passionate in overturning every possible pebble that the Knights Templar may have trod upon.

She helps us cross the language barriers from France, Portugal, and Brazil and in doing so brings lost history into the present.

I appreciated each expert she brought to the table from the UK, France, Portugal, and Brazil. Authors, guides, and historians, but also, and this is key, local traditions told by those who are descendants of mysterious ancestry.

As each individual was introduced, my comprehension and admiration of what she had achieved grew. She has a bird’s eye view of the Templars and is able to see patterns of their activities that few can. Plus, she built credibility by consulting with the right experts. Dr. Ball brought author Freddy Silva on board. He has the distinction of being the first to put Portugal on the map and explain its importance in the Templar world.

I have lived in the UK for twenty years at the time of this printing. I have scoured castles, 1000-year-old churches, and have a back catalogue of thousands of photographs of architecture, mason marks, and graffiti. Some of the images are rare examples of Templar carvings. I have identified Templar carvings in North America and have been invited to the War Room on The Curse of Oak Island for the History Channel and Ancient Aliens.

There is no doubt in my mind that Dr. Kathleen Ball successfully identified Templar carvings in Brazil and comprehended their immense importance. She could have blinked, but did not…

I see the same drive within her that I share, a drive to find and connect with the Divine within, to live with full heart and Beingness, to seek out ancient initiation practices that bring us into communion with the Great Divine.

My path has brought me to the Templars as I find within them knowledge that literally helps me to explain my life. Have I answered all the questions? No, but the answers I have found on my quest give me the fuel to feed my determination to find the everdeepening layers of the Holy Grail within.

The clues to the Templar past are signposts that Dr. Kathleen Ball is truly on the path and this manifests in original discoveries that are rare in historic and spiritually driven research of the Knights Templar.

I have followed the Templars to North America, but Dr. Ball has followed them to the exotic jungles and has been initiated into tribes who made her a part of their family. They trusted her enough with their ancient wisdom, sharing with her the heart of who they are on the spiritual planes. Perhaps she had lives within in these tribes? Perhaps she had a life as a Brazilian Templar or companion and has recognized her soul family in South America?

I have focused a great deal on her adventures, motivations, and the spiritual heart of the matter. But the pages to follow are also driven by historical fact, bringing to light new information that is verifiable through academic sources. The research is the steel infrastructure that her experiences are built upon and verifies her claims. Her book cannot be dismissed as fanciful as the groundwork is solid.

Examining the historical evidence, architecture, political landscape, and anthropology, one has to ask, What if it IS possible that the Templars built a New Jerusalem in Brazil? If her film is focused on Brazil, her book zeros in on the great master, Leonardo da Vinci.

She follows him to his final home in Amboise, France, correctly identifying his once hidden resting place and the rooms in which he lived. Information not given to the public. Has Leonardo reached across time and space to speak to Kathleen and share his lost secrets with her?

This book answers vital questions about the great master and how she came to follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar and more.

Gretchen Cornwall

Historian & Author of The Secret Dossier of a Knight Templar of the Sangreal

Preface

What is a Grail quest? Many have defined it as a quest to discover the Holy Grail. Others have defined it as an interior journey into the depths of consciousness in accordance with ancient initiation practices such as what we believe the Egyptians, Essenes, Sufis, Hindus, and numerous indigenous cultures underwent which led them on a quest to connect with a Higher Self, only to emerge transformed and willing to impart their knowledge to mankind. We’ve often called them saints, prophets, holy men/women, teachers.

Very few men have emerged with an actual item, such as in a chalice or relic, of which there are several in monasteries and churches across Europe. These are all considered to be Holy. These are treasured items, but I don’t believe they can all be authentic. I think that looking for a treasure or specific item with powers to heal is missing the point of a quest.

My quest, which I believe is something that is possible for anyone wanting to find meaning in life, began as a young child, and has continued to the present day. It resulted in the discovery of a Templar cave and a healing, but most importantly, it’s been about connecting to a higher self. It’s a quest of developing inner strength and determination, and to uncover esoteric truth within myself as well as outside myself in the physical world. It’s a quest to uncover ancient secrets, rituals, and wisdom that has been passed down to all of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear. I’ve come to understand that my entire life has been a series of initiations.

My name is Kathleen Ball Ph. D. This is my story of my discovery of a previously unknown Knights Templar cave in Brazil.

Synchronicities began as far back as my childhood. Initially stirred by my desire to know the truth about the real meaning of life on this very confusing planet, my fascination grew. It’s now grown into an ongoing insatiable desire to learn about ancient sites and cultures, the world and its people, their religious/spiritual beliefs, and the secrets of initiation. And in so doing, it has become a true Grail Quest.

It’s now my life’s goal to research and tell the story of the Knights Templar, their journeys, agenda, and history, and to search out the clues they left behind in many countries throughout the world, that most have never even suspected. I have come to believe that my quest is my destiny, and I have fully committed myself to continuing to uncover yet more clues as I discover them - and to not only follow the path that they lead me on, but to share them with the world.

This quest is not isolated: It includes many other people with whom I have connected and continue to connect with along the way. The journey has convinced me that the Universe is on my side, as it continues to open to me, guide, and connect me to others on the path who I need to meet, who often share with me their pieces of the puzzle. I believe that all those who search for truth hold a key to the big picture that is now being revealed.

Each person has their unique contribution to the raising of consciousness and continuing evolutionary process of our species. More archeological, cultural, and anthropological discoveries have been revealed in the last thirty years than ever before in human history. This is no accident. It’s all part of our ever changing and evolving process of finding out our true origins and our spiritual and cultural history, and how these discoveries can ultimately assist us in making the important choices that will frame the next generation.

Being an artist for most of my life has helped me hone my intuitive gifts, giving me the unique ability to see things differently, to be flexible when interpreting petroglyphs and hieroglyphs, and to compare them with others I’ve encountered around the world. My chance opportunity in Domme, France after having been given the key to the dungeon where the Templars were held from 1307-1314, studying the graffiti they left behind, was integral to later recognize the cross above the cave in Brazil as belonging to the order.

After discovering the cave, undergoing some extreme personal challenges that included the Butte fire and a liver transplant shortly afterwards, I connected with a talented team of photographers, producers, translators, and interviewees who proved vital in the completion of my documentary, The Brazilian Templars Mystery.

This being my first book, I chose to write it from an autobiographical perspective so you, the reader, could really understand who I am, what my agenda is, and to connect with you on a more personal level than is possible with the typical scientific genre.

The story of the Chinese farmer is a metaphor for my life and how I’ve chosen to see it:

Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse had run away. All the town’s people came to say how sorry they were that his horse was gone which represented all his wealth, exclaiming how sad he must be. He responded, Maybe?

The following day his horse returned with seven wild horses and again the town’s people came to congratulate him on such a turn of good luck. And he said only, Maybe?

The next day his son tried to break one of the horses but fell and broke his leg. Everyone came to express their sorrow, saying how devastated he must be. But again, he responded, Maybe?

The very next day the conscription officers came to induct his son into the army but rejected him because he had a broken leg. This time the people came with food to celebrate telling him how lucky he was. To which he only responded, Maybe?...

We never really know if something is good or bad until It’s over, do we?

It is my sincere hope that you will enjoy the following account of my Grail Quest.

Introduction

Childhood Influences, Mentors, and DNA: How an Explorer is Molded

…when the oath of eternal love is stronger than evil magic and the elements.

~Swan Lake

My discovery of the Knights Templar cave in Brazil was a culmination of many years of synchronicities. Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when my path merged with the Templars, I think our connection is embedded within my very DNA at the core of my being. In addition, I’d say it was fed by my lifelong fascination with Truth, ancient history, artifacts, ancient mystery schools and belief systems as instilled in me by my mentors. I believe that I was born with these interests, innate within my soul, triggered by all those who guided me along my destiny.

According to my father, I was asking peculiar questions about topics far beyond my years beginning at the tender age of three. Such questions as, What is the purpose of human existence? How long have we been here? Where did we come from? Who created us?"

My mother always thought I was a strange child, but my father always seemed to understand my inquisitive mind and answered my questions to the best of his knowledge. He too was a seeker of truth and had investigated organized religion from an early age. He joined the Unitarian Church in 1955, having me baptized in 1956. At that time, it was not recognized as a religion. Instead, it encouraged self-reflection and open to communal discissions to understand religious texts instead of the standard sermon preached at the pulpit where scripture was interpreted for you.

This proved to be short-lived however. By the time I was five, my father was studying Buddhism which eventually evolved into his own unique spiritual path. My father was my first mentor. He was brilliant, spoke four languages, and always brought home the most interesting people from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe. He loved opera and ballet and when I was five, took me to my first ballet, Swan Lake, which I didn’t know at the time proved to be the story of my life. I was a very active child, full of energy and my father was surprised when I sat through the entire performance without moving a muscle. I was mesmerized. When he asked me what I thought of it, I responded, Daddy, I love the ballet. This was the beginning of my lifelong love of dance, which I have returned to many times over the years as well as attending performances almost every year throughout my life.

My daughter has been a dancer from birth as well, which has always been one of my joys, to watch her throughout her life, excelling in her abilities. It’s as if she exemplified what I only had a passion for but would never be able to live in my own tumultuous childhood. Symphony and ballet inspired my epiphany that all of life is a ballet put to music, an ongoing concerto.

While the birth of my brothers and, before they were still too small to play with, I developed a love of the natural world. Every free moment I got I spent in nature with the little critters around me. Once I had a family of pincher bugs as playmates, along with bees, flies, horn toads, and a variety of lizards. As I got older, my father always called me his Cosmopolitan Hippie, as I was either in tutus or gowns, fantasizing that I was a French Princess or in nature playing in the mud with my critters. By the time our family bought our first home in San Lorenzo, California, I had graduated to collecting rats, cats, chameleons, hamsters, and blue belly lizards, and met the girls across the street from us with similar interests. I had trained my cat to watch over and protect my menagerie every day while I took them all outdoors in our backyard to sun them. I had one rule, that they all had to get along with each other. I didn’t allow fighting. I saw the world this way. I believed that all people, too, should get along, and could, if they could just learn to. I also realized that most children in our neighborhood, although for the most part were polite and considerate of others, were raised to compete, not cooperate with each other.

I remember being in grade school when Proposition 13 was on the ballot, guaranteeing equal rights to homeowners in California. It said that all people regardless of religion, race, or social standing could buy and own a home anywhere in California as long as they qualified. No more segregation in neighborhoods. I was appalled that such a proposition had to be voted on. Wasn’t this the right of all Americans? It made no sense to me. We had a big sign in our yard supporting it and I was soon to find out about racial prejudice. And it came from a very unlikely place, one of my best friends across the street, whose father was a scientist no less, was raised to be prejudiced. I was shocked to find out her family, and apparently many of the families in San Lorenzo’s political beliefs, were prejudiced about minorities. My friend and I had a debate one day that ended very badly, in which she started screaming at me and ran home.

I was told by my parents that she’d informed her parents about our discussion and my views, which resulted in her being forbidden to play with me for over a year. As I write this, I’ve come to the realization that this attitude has once again raised its ugly head, here in America, the country that I have always believed in and loved. I thought this country was above such pettiness, but at the time of this writing, in 2020, as we’re deep into deterioration of our country, it only seems to be escalating, not improving.

After my near-death experience (NDE), which I go into in more detail later, I saw what was going on in today’s world as a dying of the old paradigm, as it’s about to crash and burn, making way for a higher consciousness of human beliefs, technology etc. I’m reminded of my little bug friends when I was a young girl. When I was about five, I watched a bee sting someone and fall to the ground. As it lay there frantically spinning and thrashing, desperately trying to cling to life, knowing that its life was soon to end I realized how desperate creatures become when faced with their own death. This is true for governments, corporations, and all of those supporting the destruction of our Earth. It’s the death of a paradigm of thought. I see these age-old entities desperately trying to cling to power as they amass huge fortunes, in attempts to insulate themselves from the inevitable, the end of their way of life.

I have a deep-seated hope in my heart as I watch the destruction of wars and the current conduct of oil companies, and the effect of biological warfare on our bodies, minds, and the natural world, including our food, that a new paradigm of thinking will prevail.

I believe in the Universal mind of God, and I believe that this mind promotes life and all that supports life, and that all that is contrary to life will wither away and die of its own volition. The seeds of destruction are embedded in the destructive deeds of men. I was born with this outlook, and it was supported by my family as I grew up and I’m eternally grateful for that.

I was exposed to people from foreign countries, different cultures, and beliefs while I grew up. Three of these people made an impression on me. The first was a man from Japan. In honor of our guest Shozabro, my father learned Japanese, which was the beginning of his love affair with everything Japanese. He later took up Haiku poetry as a primary interest, and after many years became recognized as a master in both North America and Japan. I gave Shozabro my room while he lived with us and I loved to listen to his stories of Japan, his culture, and cuisine. My father made traditional Japanese dinners and my entire family sat on cushions, drank sake, ate sukiyaki, and listened to Japanese music while Shozabro told us about his very traditional family.

When Shozabro returned to Japan he sent us presents for many years. He sent me paper lanterns with silk fringes and figurines to decorate my room, he gave my brothers Japanese toys and candy, and my mother a full porcelain tea set and set of dishes. He exchanged letters with my father for many years, which my father would read to us, much to my delight. I was fascinated with his life in Japan and vowed that someday I would go there to visit him.

Olga from Germany was second on my list of memories. She spoke no English but my father spoke German so he would translate for us. She taught my family how to make a delicious pot of goulash with sausages and onions and potatoes. She also taught me how to make a bed properly so the sheets fit so tight you could bounce a coin on them. She insisted on helping my mother with chores around the house. I remember her ironing with starch, even our sheets, and all our family’s shirts and slacks.

We always looked well groomed, clean, and proper as she liked to say, while she lived with us. I think my mother welcomed her assistance while raising three children and managing all the chores in the house. I really missed her sense of order and her laugh when she’d try to tell us a German children’s stories as my dad translated. She was a large boned, large chested woman and I always thought what a wonderful grandmother she must be. I never knew whether she had a family of her own and she only stayed with us for a month. We never heard from her again, but obviously she left a lasting impression on me.

The third of our memorable foreign visitors were two men who came into our home in the midst of the racial tension throughout the San Francisco Bay Area where we lived. My father invited these two friends of his from Ethiopia to come and stay with us. They were here to lecture at UC Berkeley campus, where my father was also giving a lecture on advanced math. I’ll never forget when we went to the campus to pick them up and they sat in the back seat with me as we drove back to our home in San Lorenzo. I was too young to be able to pronounce their names, unfortunately, but their energy was powerful, and I thought they both were the most beautiful people I had ever met. So tall and lean with eyes that radiated wisdom and peace. They moved with such grace and seemed to emit light from their souls. They were elegant. I wanted to go back to Ethiopia with them because I was sure that they could give me the answers about the purpose of life, why we’re here on this very confusing planet. I just knew they didn’t go to regular churches like the ones I had visited, that they knew about the real God and how to connect to that power. Alas, my father said I had to stay here so I could go to school and would have to wait until I grew up to visit Ethiopia. But I will never forget them, especially the taller man who kissed me on the forehead when they departed, saying I was a very special little girl with a very special destiny.

During the 1960s, I was shocked to learn that there were areas, whole cites in fact that would not rent or render services to people of color. It was at the time that Proposition 13 was about to be overturned and I became a seven-year-old advocate for equality. It was just completely beyond me why anyone didn’t understand that people are people, we’re all the same, we all love, have hopes and dreams, have fears and want to live a good life. I just couldn’t understand why some people think they are superior to others. I decided that they must not feel very good about themselves if they had to put other people down in order to feel better. I decided this while studying our school bully, Evan Q, who was also our tetherball champ, who I beat at tetherball just to teach him a lesson. After which, he chased me all around the school grounds until the bell rang. I never thought that he liked himself much. He was always unhappy and picking on others smaller than he was. I concluded that the people who didn’t believe in equality must be like him. And I decided that it was my job to enlighten them. Well, that got me banned from many of my friends’ homes, but it was my first experience with intellectual debate, and I loved it. I don’t know if I ever got through to any of my peers but at least I found my voice for equality. I was to discover as I am writing this that my great, great Uncle, William Cullen Bryant, a romantic writer and part owner of the New York Times, was also an advocate for the abolition of slavery in New York and devoted his life to seeing it end. So, once again, I believe that my deep-seated beliefs about equality were embedded in my DNA.

There were so many interesting people who frequented our home. My father was not only a college professor in the math department, but he also had a background in philosophy, cultural studies, world religion, classical music, and Haiku poetry, together with a photographic memory. I can remember as I grew up, coming home from school with an assignment, after asking him questions about my subject matter, he’d direct me to our vast library and tell me to look on the fifth shelf, ninth book from the left, on page 427, and there I’d find what I was looking for. Only after I’d researched the subject on my own, would he sit and discuss it with me. He taught me how to play chess the same way. He beat me so many times I lost count until the day I finally beat him. Only then was he willing to discuss the finer points of the game and how mastering the game mirrored the decisions one might be faced with in life.

He taught math from a wholistic perspective, reflecting his all-encompassing world view. He’d provide the path to find your answer but never give you the answer. He’d only share in your joy when you achieved it on your own. He used to say in his World Religion and Philosophy classes, when people would ask which was the true religion, Create your own religion.

It was no wonder that our home was continually filled with students, professors, and other intellectuals that he’d meet at conferences, UC Berkeley, comedy shows, the Opera House in San Francisco, or coffee shops where like minds congregated in those days. Most of these people would come to visit my parents after I was supposed to be in bed, but since we had one of the old 1950’s heaters that was accessible from both our hallway just outside my bedroom and our living room, I’d sit in front of it and listen to all these great minds discussing world affairs and