Rome day 4

Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again

(Bernie Siegel)

The enlightened give thanks for what most people take for granted....

As you begin to be grateful for what most people take for granted, the vibration of gratitude makes you more receptive to good in your life

(Michael Beckwith)

Christmas Day

The chiming church bells reminded us that Christmas is about a Universal message of love and hope and gratitude. Christmas in Rome is about the birth of the Virgin Mary’s baby, Jesus rather than presents and tinsel. Being out of my familiar surroundings, it was for me a time for reflection.

Out on the Piazza Navone, people were milling, and there was sense of goodwill. Well, maybe I wanted it to be like that…

We arrived at the apartment, where Roarke and Gina were staying with Gina’s parents and her sister (Sandra, Carlo and Maria), laden with our share of the Christmas luncheon. Tom had procured, the previous day with his proficient Italian chatter with the shopkeepers, antipasti consisting of prosciutto, salami, carciofi, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and provolone cheese; for dessert we had visited the gelatti shop for a tub of melon and lemon sorbet. 

We dropped off our food and then made our way down to Piazza San Pietro, for the Pope’s Christmas service. It was not as crowded as we expected; there was such a peaceful energy amongst the throng of people gathered there. We couldn’t understand the Italian mass but it was a privilege just being in that moment, it felt like a peaceful blessing.

Lunch was a late and prolonged affair, starting with our antipasti, then Roarke and Gina’s pasta with pesto sugo, then later Maria’s lamb stew and much later the sorbet. Coffee was followed by limoncello. In between all of the courses, I had snuck off to the kitchen to wash the dishes, aided by Carlo who had dried them off ready to use for the next course. I was reminded of a conversation we’d had at an earlier meal about the Seven Deadly Sins*…

This was a day of gratitude for me: being with my little family…in Rome…at Christmas. How splendid! How grateful I am for having this very special celebration.