We have the opportunity to open our hearts and to love more every day thanks to every person, place, and event in our lives. Without any interaction with others, it’s impossible for us to love as much as we do. Some people, places, and events, however, knock slightly harder on our hearts and entice us to open them up just a little bit more. Florence is one of those places for me.

Even though I was fighting off a cold, I couldn’t stop myself from going out for a run Thursday morning. Through a few gaps in the gray clouds, the sun cast its bright rays down on the city. My intention was to take a photo of Florence from Piazzale Michelangiolo for Davide Astori, or as we call him “capitano (captain).” The Fiorentina’s capitano passed away suddenly last Sunday. It was a shock to us here in Florence as well as around the world. It wasn’t just because he was a famous soccer player, but because he was a highly regarded man and a beacon of light.

For me, there is something magical about sitting in the Giardino delle Rose. I enjoy hearing the hum of the cars whizzing by in the distance mixed with the sound of the birds chirping in the trees. The various sounds traversing the air remind me of how I'm able to simultaneously embrace all of Florence’s facets—from the tranquility of the gardens to the busyness of the city. On a windy day last week, I found myself mesmerized by the rustling of the tree branches in the giardino. Usually they are quite silent, but on that day, they made their presence known.

Every once in a while, I get in a running slump. It’s rare because I normally have no problem motivating myself to go for a run no matter how cold or rainy it might be. However, once I stop running for an extended amount of time, like more than a couple of weeks, I have difficulty getting myself motivated again to get out and run. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to walk up to Piazzale Michelangiolo. I seldom walk up to the piazzale because I generally run up there a few times a week. Unfortunately, since I hadn’t gone up for a while due to my latest running hiatus, I had been missing the view of Florence.

Every monument, piazza, statue, building, garden, church, bridge, and work of art in Florence reminds us that not only is love only real, but that it is also tangible. When you come to Florence, you don’t just see Florence’s beauty and take a mental picture of it. You feel Florence’s beauty permeate your heart. What initially began as pleasure for your eyes quickly becomes love coursing through your veins. I am still amazed to this day at how Florence’s beauty opens up my heart and fills it up with love.

I enjoy connecting with Florence when I walk along the Arno, across the piazzas and bridges, down the streets, and through the gardens. Florence’s energy swirls around with each step. Another way I connect with Florence is by running in and around the city. I especially love running up to Piazzale Michelangiolo along the Arno, up a tree-lined path, down to Porta Romana, across the Ponte Vecchio, and back to the Arno.

Everyone expresses love differently. I express my love for Florence through my writing and photography. Each photo I take is a moment in which I held my beloved city in my embrace and she held me. One of my greatest joys is basking in the beauty I experience and capturing it as best I can and then sharing it. Love doesn’t want to be hidden or kept secret. Love wants to be expressed, shared, and celebrated.

After living in Florence for many years, I have discovered what beauty truly is. I initially admired Florence’s external beauty. Like most people, I saw the beauty in her monuments, bridges, gardens, churches, and pastel-colored buildings. I overlooked, for example, the Arno River, the sidewalks, and the street lamps. Nowadays, I embrace Florence in her entirety. It brings me great joy to embrace not just the beauty I see, but the beauty I feel. My beloved city’s wealth lies not in the amount of art and beauty she holds, but in the depth of her heart and soul that has fueled such beauty.

I usually take an hour out of my day to watch the sunset. The moment I step outside, I let my intuition take over and lead me to where it wants to go. Sometimes I meander the streets in Florence or walk up the steps to Piazzale Michelangiolo, while at other times I stroll along the Arno River. I like to change locations; however, I do have a few favorites depending on where the sun is setting. For me, it's not enough to just see beauty. I must also experience, embrace, and appreciate Florence's beauty. When I walk around Florence, I try to stay as present as possible. I enjoy looking around me and taking in my surroundings.

I love the Arno. I often take photos of the Arno River because I love how captivating it is. Besides the lovely reflections of the bridges and buildings on both sides of the river, I also enjoy seeing the different colors bouncing off the sky and onto the Arno’s glimmering surface. I love how mysterious the Arno is because it looks calm on the surface and yet underneath it is certainly tumultuous.

For me, living in Florence is a choice. I could easily pack up my things and move somewhere else because I have no ties that require me to stay in Florence. I don’t stay in Florence because I'm used to living here or because I’ve lived here longer than any other place of my choosing. I choose to remain in Florence because I feel great joy bubbling inside of me every day I wake up in her embrace.

A while back, I had an early flight to catch for Paris and was going to be away for two weeks. I had only been back to Florence for a short time and felt like I hadn’t experienced enough of her before my departure the next day. On the morning of my flight, I woke up an hour earlier so I could walk around Florence and say goodbye to her. By the time, I reached Ponte alle Grazie, the sun hadn’t even risen yet. I stood along the low brick wall and decided to watch the sunrise. A great sense of serenity came over me as I listened to the water flowing over the weir in the Arno and observed the birds flying overhead.

When I’m walking around Florence, no matter if I’m in a rush or focused on getting to a specific location, I try to keep my eyes and heart open as much as possible. I don’t just keep myself open to the beauty I have seen many times, but also to the beauty that I might not have seen yet. I think that’s one of the reasons why I take photos of Florence. I don’t just take photos to capture her beauty and share it, but also to remember that she presents more of her beauty to me every day with every step I take.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Florence. Even if you don't know me, it’s fairly obvious. I not only write about living in Florence, but I also take pictures of the beauty around me in Florence. I don’t love Florence just because of her apparent beauty; I love Florence because of how she makes me feel when I am here. Florence stirs up powerful emotions within me, she inspires me to listen more closely to my heart, she nudges me to act and speak from love, she motivates me to be sincere, and she encourages me to fully embrace who I am.

To some people, Florence might just be a beautiful city to visit and enjoy. To me, Florence is one of my greatest loves. Loving a city is like loving a person: I was initially attracted to Florence’s beauty, I enjoy so many of her qualities, I accept my beloved city as she is, and I love how she makes me feel when I am in her embrace. I didn’t choose to love Florence by checking items off of a list, but rather by feeling her love inside of me. While I am attracted to Florence’s exterior, it is her interior that I fell in love with. Her heart, her soul, and her vibrant energy influence me every day.