As I roam around Florence, I enjoy letting my heart lead me in different directions. When a sight appeals to me, I pause for a moment to bask in it. I become as quiet as possible and allow my senses to capture the details of my surroundings. My photos and anecdotes are the keepsakes of these precious moments. However, the most significant souvenirs of these moments are the impressions they leave in my heart.

Over the past few weeks, I hiked up to Piazzale Michelangiolo, strolled through the Giardino Bardini, visited Palazzo Pitti, caught a brilliant sunset from Lungarno Corsini, and delighted in seeing the moon alongside the Campanile. In my last post, I wrote about how Florence is an open museum, but also an open church. I don’t see Florence as a church in the religious sense, but as more of a sanctuary. A place where one finds respite and gains insight. Florence’s artwork, museums, bridges, gardens, river, and buildings inspire us to be present and see the beauty that is all around us. When we perceive the beauty at the center of every person, place, and thing, then we know love.