Longing and appreciating

There are times when I sit at my desk and hours pass by so quickly that I forget what day it is. I miss going outside and looking at the monuments and churches at the moment. I'd certainly love to visit a museum as well while there are fewer tourists in town. But because of the rainy weather and my current workload, I've been indoors a lot lately. So, when my friend Bari came back from the US today and called me this evening to meet up for a walk, I was out the door before I knew it.

Living in Florence :: Longing and appreciating

My love for Florence is very much like my love for Alessandro. I live in Florence and I'm married to Alessandro and yet I still desire to spend more quality time so I can truly appreciate each one even more. I'd love to walk around town, to sit on a terrazza (terrace) watching people walk by, and to stand in the middle of the Ponte Vecchio and look down the river and up at the monuments, just as much as I'd love to lounge around with Alessandro without noticing the hours rapidly pass.

When I have a small quantity of free time, I try to value what moments I do have and cherish them. I try to balance the longing and the appreciating because between the two is where I find my joy.

I used to just want things immediately because I didn't like longing, but now I realize that the longing is what makes having and achieving so sweet. A part of me now enjoys the longing almost as much as the appreciating. I know that when I am finally where I want to be, the colors will be more vibrant, the smells will be sweeter, and the magnificent feelings will be stronger.

After we walked around town and enjoyed a gelato affogato (ice cream in hot chocolate), we ended up in front of the Santa Croce church. I love this piazza as it always feel like the heart of Florence beats here. I enjoy it when there are events in the piazza, but I must admit that I adore it even more when nothing is happening there. The illuminated church against the dark blue sky seems so majestic at the end of the long and empty piazza. And, I especially love the way the small puddles reflect the church.

I appreciated being reunited with Bari who was in the US for over two weeks and embracing Florence together with her. I have no plans to go for a long walk around town, but for now I will cherish my memories of today and stare out my window as I gently long to go back outside.

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