Saturday on the town, Sunday in nature

One of the things I have loved about both Rome and Florence is going out at night and wandering amongst the various piazzas. There is always someone performing. people are strolling and having dinner.

As you walk from one place to the next there are open shops. It is lively! Last night in Florence the merchants put on a celebration called White Night. There was music and food in every neighborhood. It seem like the whole city was wandering the streets. Not to mention the parade with costumed drummers making the rounds.


I attended Mass last night in the Florence Duomo to leave Sunday free for a planned trip to Cinque Terre. This little strip of coastline is home to five villages that were only accessible by boat until 1871. It's a warm day, so we started early. As we walked along the coast in the still of the morning it felt good to be out in nature. Spending so much time in churches can be spiritually enriching, but it can also be confining. God created the whole world for us to delight in. And in the wonder of creation we can delight in the God who created it all. It was good to be out.

Tomorrow we head back to be ready to catch a plane the next morning. My head is so full of thoughts and images. My heart is full, and grateful for this wonderful two weeks. I am sure it will take me a while to sort out these experiences and my reactions to them. It will be fun to spend the next few weeks doing that.

I am also ready to get back to Julie and Elliot. I miss them! I look forward to sharing our vacation together and revelling in the wonder of a loving family.

I pray my parish family is well, I think of you all often and look forward to sharing stories from this journey when I return in August.

Stay tuned, I'll probably post some less exotic musings in the weeks to come.

Thomas