Simple Wishes

While I always have my camera with me, there are certain times that I keep it down, fully knowing that I can't do justice to what I am seeing... a full moon through the trees, a laughing child, a candle being lit... My heart remembers more accurately than my camera lens...

As daylight began to dim, we rounded the corner entering the Piazza di Trevi. I dropped my camera, letting the strap anchor it uselessly at my back and I absorbed the scene before me. The smell of water-soaked change mingled with the mustiness of old buildings and the aroma of a thousand dinners being cooked. The sounds of street musicians competed with the conversations of a hundred voices, flowing water and the clicking of high heels on the stone square. The Trevi Fountain, in all of it's beautiful 17th century grandeur, filled my vision as my walking companion slipped a coin into my hand. We stood for a few moments quietly observing the crush of people surrounding the 85 foot fountain before I made my way down the stone steps to the water's edge. As tradition required, I turned my back to the water, raised the coin to my lips, made a wish in my heart and flicked the coin over my shoulder. I don't remember if I used the right hand or if I tossed the coin over the proper shoulder. I don't even know if my borrowed coin landed in the water.. perhaps I flicked it badly and it ricochetted off of one of Neptune's incredibly chiseled stone pecks. Perhaps my borrowed coin tangled with my fingers before landing uselessly at my feet, thus negating my wish. I don't know.. I will never know as my eyes were occupied elsewhere.

*****

The Earth is currently passing through the Perseids and the night sky is fancifully lit by multitudes of shooting stars... or as those less romantically inclined souls like to call them.. Meteors.. Life back in Chicago has been difficult since leaving my Saint Peter behind.  Yesterday was rough, today is no picnic and unfortunately, tomorrow has the capacity to be even worse. There are choices to make and changes to survive but for tonight, there are stars to see. The other side of the world is already presently tucked into the night and as tradition requires, millions of wishes are being heaped on hapless stars burning at the edge of the atmosphere. By the time night falls in Chicago, the stars will be burdened by the heaviness of the wishes of the world. However, I will look for one star, a single star, perhaps lightly carrying Italian wishes. I will place my wish on top like a blanket and I will watch diligently as this star streaks through the night sky into oblivion..

"Jen, what will you be wishing for?" Peters asks.
"Oh, I don't know.. maybe for enough skill to finally stop overcooking my pasta..?"

"It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are still alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them." 

George Eliot