Pictures are worth way more than 1000 words. Photos have the ability to transcend you back to a precise moment and evoke the sentiments that you felt at that exact time. No matter what the sensation, pictures are powerful, of that there is no doubt. I love this picture. One of those WTF moments in my life at a family run flora and fauna oasis in Sicily. An environment, an awareness, a connection unlike anything I had ever experienced. I have looked at this picture often during this pandemic. It now serves as a beacon of a hopeful future. I wholeheartedly believe I will return here.
To steal a quote from THE greatest Golden Girl, Sophia Petrillo, “Picture it, Sicily 2019.” On a research trip with Casa Mia, I spent eight wonderful days that touched my soul. The sights, the sounds, the tastes, and the interactions with both people and nature, altered my life, in the best possible ways, with the best possible intentions. Each day I made a point to write down the experiences of the day and the overwhelming curiosity of what tomorrow would bring. I remember being enthralled by the people and the connection they had to the land. You can read about this trip here, Sicily from the back seat, but this piece has a different message.
My plan was to return to Sicily this past July to celebrate a milestone birthday of a very dear friend of mine. This is did not happen. But it will. Sicily is not going anywhere. It will withstand the test of Covid-19 and so will we. In this time of induced stillness, this picture has become so much more than a framed piece of art. A forced pause in life. Silver linings. An opportunity to breathe. Healing in past memories. Comfort that new experiences will happen. Because they are going to.
Luckily through Casa Mia’s online experiences, I will be returning to Sicily during the month of September, virtually, as all classes are Sicilian inspired. Please join us for one. I also encourage you to look through your albums, either digital or bound. Find those places that showed you what it meant to feel invincible, in control, happy, and maybe quite literally, on top of the world. You were there once. It is inevitable that you will return. If not there, then onto the next picture-worthy destination. Always remember to take pictures. Pictures are worth way more than 1000 words.
