italia memories and some wedding photos

Thursday, April 5

dear dear friends

just this week i discovered a folder of pictures from when i lived in italy. they've been lost for years, and just the other day i had a crazy inkling of where they might be. whoa, this was right when the digital camera came out, so yes, a long time ago. since i minored in the most useful subject on the planet, italian, i moved to italy and lived with a lovely family. in the heart of siena, my beloved siena. 

ohhh I squealed with delight when i found these pics. most of them i don't really care about, but...can I share with you today a treasure that bottles up so many delightful memories of my time in Siena? 


gahhh, i told you it was a delight. in fact, i won first place with this beauty at the study abroad office photo contest. big.deal. I know. they gave me a UCD bookstore gift certificate- i turned around and spent that baby on a UCD sweatshirt that has since traveled all over the world with me, and has lost all of its fleece but none of its magic. 

i digress. 

so the story. sunshine and crisp air. i was walking towards the campo, the most beautiful piazza in all of Italia (in my humble opinion) and i spotted them. 4 old men chatting, and laughing, eyes dancing, hands waving furiously. i didn't want the moment to end, as i gobbled up the art of "congregating". italians, and especially those from siena, know how to congregate. it's an art. everyday they just take time to be with one another. priority. i think these 4 had done if for the last 60 years of their lives, and they had the  bonds of friendship to prove it. 

not wanting them to see me, i tried to hide my lens. but they spotted me (oh darn my american-ness!). nervously i looked away for a second, and when I turned around their eyes were on me, pure sparkles and smiles and laugher on wrinkled faces. relaxing, i laughed too and snapped my favorite picture of my entire time living la vita bella.  

but it's magical. their smiles. the vino. the pasta. the friendship. 

as I was thinking about this photo, i realized how the creator of our lives made us to enjoy the art of congregating. to make priority the deepening of bonds, the ability to welcome and be welcomed, the loveliness of trust and friendship. for the art of congregating is where the sparkle comes from...congregating first with Abba, and then with others! Happy congregating!

Love Katie
ps- I JUST updated my wedding section on my blog. I'm having so much fun reliving this gorgeous day, and may have gone a little over-board! haha...and i'm NOT even to the reception yet. That will have to wait till next time. Enjoy!! 

1 comment :

  1. I am obsesssseed with that picture!!! SO perfect. So cool you got to live there!

    ReplyDelete

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