Morning melancholy
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
When I woke up this morning, I felt a little melancholy. I was thinking about my trip to Paris on Sunday. Once again, I’ll be away from Florence for 12 days. I miss my beloved city already and yet I’m still here. I want to see more, experience more, and enjoy more precious moments before I take off. When I go to Paris, I feel as if a part of me is left behind. Not a vital part, but one that I certainly notice is not with me when I’m in Paris.
Catching last night’s sunset was a gift. This morning, however, when I saw gray clouds hanging over the city, I felt a twinge of sadness. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the changes in the weather, but I was hoping to see more of the Florentine sun with its strong contrast between the sunlight and the shadows. I love how the light here enhances all the colors and adds vibrancy to everything I see.
As I looked across the Arno this morning, I could see the green grass and leaves on the trees in Giardino Bardini as they appeared to glow against the light grey clouds behind them. I looked out the window again when I saw the sun peeking through the clouds for a brief moment. A light rain began to fall shortly afterwards and then it began to pour down with the sound of thunder grumbling in the distance.
I think that if I weren’t so attached to my beloved city, it would be easy to flip-flop between Paris and Florence. It’s more difficult for me to go between Paris (my first love) and Florence (my true love). Paris is the life I lived in my twenties and Florence is the life I’m living now.
The entire afternoon and into the evening, the rain continued to fall. The wet weather didn’t help my melancholy. When I walked around to run a few errands, I was happy to take in more of my beloved city.
Even though I enjoy Paris when I am there, it is always sad for me to leave my beloved city behind. I plan to enjoy the next few days I have left in Florence before my departure. Just walking around town, running along the Arno, seeing a monument, visiting a church or museum, looking at the people walking through a piazza, or taking in a sunset are enough to make my heart bounce again with joy.
