I’ve been thinking a bit more about Italy lately. Missing it a bit more. I’m happy to be back, it’s been a whirlwind of moving and excitement. It is good to be back, so good, but there are still things that I miss. I miss my walks in Parco di Monza. I miss the idea of Venice being three hours away. I miss being in the same time zone as my European friends, or even a time zone that I could easily chat online with my East Coast friends. Pacific Standard Time seems like it is at the edge of the world.
I’m finishing Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea
right now. A beautiful, short book, full of much wisdom. I was reading it in Italy, but it got lost in the shuffle of moving. On going from her island writing retreat back to her life in Connecticut, she writes:
right now. A beautiful, short book, full of much wisdom. I was reading it in Italy, but it got lost in the shuffle of moving. On going from her island writing retreat back to her life in Connecticut, she writes:For the natural selectivity of the island I will have to substitute a conscious selectivity based on another sense of values–a sense of values I have become more aware of here.
I feel like that’s what I’ve done with my time in Italy, found a set of values that guide my creative life. Distilled them down and brought them back. It’s worked well.
For all that planning, it can never change the physical difference. It doesn’t change the yearning I feel when I look at photos from my time in Italy. These feelings are something that probably only time and space will help with. Nothing can diminish the personal changes that I made while in Italy, but that only helps so far on a day when I realize I’m now living far, far away.
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It sounds a bit like a sort of homesickness in reverse. You'll always have your wonderful photos to look at when you're missing it 🙂
Are you a little worried about holding on to the self changes you made in Italy? I love seeing all of your photos from Italy and I feel like there is a story behind each one. I love love love the Gift from the Sea, I purchased my copy in a shell store and it came in a gift package that included all of the shells from the book, magical!!
How could you not miss Italy? You were so lucky to have that special time there, where you had a transformative experience. I love Gift from the Sea, and reread it every few years — so much wisdom there.
Sounds like a life changing trip, Kat. So…when are you going back? 🙂
You'll have to put a return visit on your bucket list! 😉
I love that book. One of my professors gave it to me as a gift when I graduated from college… many years ago. I still have it. Enjoy.
Lou
Kat, I miss Italy too and I didn't even live there! That time and your memories will always live on in your amazing photography. It's so powerful, that it's bound to raise strong emotions.
It's sort of like your lens acts as a window to your heart…
Hugs from your arty friend, tj