Santa Croce and Balance

      L'equilibrio is the Italian word for balance.  I've been thinking again and this time it's about how we maintain a balance in our lives.  My Florentine friend, Lucia, whom I met on the Tibetan Buddhist Retreat is a wonderful, very spiritual person.  She works for the Himalayan Institute in Florence, and is a healer, massage therapist and teacher.  She spent last month in India at an ashram.  The problem is she gives a lot and gets depleted.  We contracted to do an exchange--she gives me a massage and I teach her Qigong.  I got my massage yesterday and it was wonderful.  I do hope it's an equal exchange.

     Every morning I pass through the Piazza del Signoria (the statues) and in front of Santa Croce on my way to language class.  I pass throngs of school children, but I far prefer them to the crowds of tourists (and I know I am one of them) that I will press through in the afternoon.  I love my morning walk because much of Florence is still sleeping and there is so much room!!  I have also become aware of the history I am walking on and around.

   For instance, Santa Croce is a famous church built in the Middle Ages over a smaller, more ancient church that was created in the order of Saint Francis.  I had a tour this afternoon with Francesca, one of the teachers from the school, but it was all in Italian, so I may not have understood everything.  One of the reasons why Santa Croce is so famous is because Michaelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and many others are buried in tombs there.  So, every morning, I pass by the remains of Michaelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo!

     Finally, to get some exercise, Alyssa and I ran up to Piazzale Michaelangelo and the church of San Miniato (built in the 11th century) again.    You can see some of the bridges on the Arno River behind me.