Day of the Assumption

I have been living here for about 3 weeks now and I have only just started to realize how Rome has captured my whole being, just as it does to the millions of people who come here every tourist season. For me at least, Rome is called the eternal city because time doesn't really seem to exist here. There is no on Roman history, but rather many histories, piled one on top of another just like the many layers of plaster and paint upon the walls of the ancient buildings, which seem as though they are all leaning against one another for support. In this place I feel as if I too could just live on forever, with everything staying as it has always been, and me never growing tired of it. One must always approach this city with a sense of adventure, plenty of time to spare, and a good pair of walking shoes. In the maze of these streets it is often best to just forget about a map (for they could never site all of Rome anyways) and just walk wherever the spirit leads you. There is perhaps no better surprise than that which you get by happening upon places such as Campo di Fiore, Porta Portese, the Pantheon, Largo Argentina, the Spanish steps or the Trevi Fountain quite by accident, as if it just appeared out of nowhere, and you begin to feel in your heart that you inherently knew the way all along and were led to these places by some magical force. Trying to plan routes around this place becomes obsolete once you finally realize that the shortest distance from one point to another is not really a straight line, but more of a figure 8. With all the times I've gotten lost in this city I have never once regretted a wrong turn, leading me down a new path of discovery. I hope that my ability to get completely lost in this city never fades, for I means that my time here is still quite young.

In the mornings I wake up just before 7 to unlock the studio doors and prepare myself for the day ahead. I eat a light breakfast in the downstairs kitchen while listening to opera or classical music, relishing in the peace of the morning and the short period of cool fresh air that blows in from the large French windows before the sun gets high and hot. I then go outside for a morning stroll and inevitably find myself gravitating to Campo di Fiore, where there is a fresh fruit and vegetable market every morning. The sizable chunk of watermelon I get for a mere 1,15 euro is perfectly ripened and sweet this time of year, grown in patches just a short distance outside of Rome. Today I walk along the Tiber in Trastevere. Being the 15th of August, which was originally the Feast of Emperor Augustus, but is now celebrated as the the day of the Assumption of Mary, it is a national holiday, which consequently means that the entire city has been deserted and you would be hard-pressed to find a single shop or cafe' open. The only people I pass by are the lonely stragglers and lost tourists, who were left unaware of the day's significance, and now wander aimlessly around searching for some place that has remained open. I come to realize how there really is no need for a watch when walking around, first because there is bound to be a church or basilica nearby which will ring its bells every 15 minutes, and second because such tight schedules should never exist here. The serenity of this place and these people are enough to make even the most time-organized people forget where and when they are, further adding to the timelessness of Rome. Serenity. Yes, that is possibly the best way to describe it. Not just today but every day it can be felt. The Italian word for serenity is serene, which means to be completely contented with one's life and surroundings, no matter the situation. It would seem as though this is the collective mindset of all Roman people, and indeed, it is quite easy to become contented here. I don't have much here, and live quite simply with what I have, but all of those things which are not available to me seem to be luxuries now. I realize that they are quite unnesessary in living a full and beautiful life.
Truly I am blessed, and I pray that you may be blessed as well.
Love,
Rachael