Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Living in Florence :: Back out running to embrace Florence

Every once in a while, I get in a running slump. It’s rare because I normally have no problem motivating myself to go for a run no matter how cold or rainy it might be. However, once I stop running for an extended amount of time, like more than a couple of weeks, I have difficulty getting myself motivated again to get out and run. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to walk up to Piazzale Michelangiolo. I seldom walk up to the piazzale because I generally run up there a few times a week. Unfortunately, since I hadn’t gone up for a while due to my latest running hiatus, I had been missing the view of Florence.

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Thursday, August 31, 2017

Living in Florence :: Florence radiates love

Every monument, piazza, statue, building, garden, church, bridge, and work of art in Florence reminds us that not only is love only real, but that it is also tangible. When you come to Florence, you don’t just see Florence’s beauty and take a mental picture of it. You feel Florence’s beauty permeate your heart. What initially began as pleasure for your eyes quickly becomes love coursing through your veins. I am still amazed to this day at how Florence’s beauty opens up my heart and fills it up with love.

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Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Living in Florence :: Connecting to Florence as I run

I enjoy connecting with Florence when I walk along the Arno, across the piazzas and bridges, down the streets, and through the gardens. Florence’s energy swirls around with each step. Another way I connect with Florence is by running in and around the city. I especially love running up to Piazzale Michelangiolo along the Arno, up a tree-lined path, down to Porta Romana, across the Ponte Vecchio, and back to the Arno.

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Living in Florence :: Expressing my love for Florence

Everyone expresses love differently. I express my love for Florence through my writing and photography. Each photo I take is a moment in which I held my beloved city in my embrace and she held me. One of my greatest joys is basking in the beauty I experience and capturing it as best I can and then sharing it. Love doesn’t want to be hidden or kept secret. Love wants to be expressed, shared, and celebrated.

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Saturday, March 25, 2017

Living in Florence :: Opening my heart to experience beauty more fully

After living in Florence for many years, I have discovered what beauty truly is. I initially admired Florence’s external beauty. Like most people, I saw the beauty in her monuments, bridges, gardens, churches, and pastel-colored buildings. I overlooked, for example, the Arno River, the sidewalks, and the street lamps. Nowadays, I embrace Florence in her entirety. It brings me great joy to embrace not just the beauty I see, but the beauty I feel. My beloved city’s wealth lies not in the amount of art and beauty she holds, but in the depth of her heart and soul that has fueled such beauty.

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Monday, February 13, 2017

Living in Florence :: Breathing in Florence’s beauty and energy

I usually take an hour out of my day to watch the sunset. The moment I step outside, I let my intuition take over and lead me to where it wants to go. Sometimes I meander the streets in Florence or walk up the steps to Piazzale Michelangiolo, while at other times I stroll along the Arno River. I like to change locations; however, I do have a few favorites depending on where the sun is setting. For me, it's not enough to just see beauty. I must also experience, embrace, and appreciate Florence's beauty. When I walk around Florence, I try to stay as present as possible. I enjoy looking around me and taking in my surroundings.

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Friday, January 27, 2017

Living in Florence :: Loving the Arno River in Florence

I love the Arno. I often take photos of the Arno River because I love how captivating it is. Besides the lovely reflections of the bridges and buildings on both sides of the river, I also enjoy seeing the different colors bouncing off the sky and onto the Arno’s glimmering surface. I love how mysterious the Arno is because it looks calm on the surface and yet underneath it is certainly tumultuous.

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Sunday, January 1, 2017

Living in Florence :: Choosing Florence, choosing love

For me, living in Florence is a choice. I could easily pack up my things and move somewhere else because I have no ties that require me to stay in Florence. I don’t stay in Florence because I'm used to living here or because I’ve lived here longer than any other place of my choosing. I choose to remain in Florence because I feel great joy bubbling inside of me every day I wake up in her embrace.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Living in Florence :: Florence is magical

A while back, I had an early flight to catch for Paris and was going to be away for two weeks. I had only been back to Florence for a short time and felt like I hadn’t experienced enough of her before my departure the next day. On the morning of my flight, I woke up an hour earlier so I could walk around Florence and say goodbye to her. By the time, I reached Ponte alle Grazie, the sun hadn’t even risen yet. I stood along the low brick wall and decided to watch the sunrise. A great sense of serenity came over me as I listened to the water flowing over the weir in the Arno and observed the birds flying overhead.

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Friday, October 21, 2016

Living in Florence :: Keeping my eyes and heart open in Florence

When I’m walking around Florence, no matter if I’m in a rush or focused on getting to a specific location, I try to keep my eyes and heart open as much as possible. I don’t just keep myself open to the beauty I have seen many times, but also to the beauty that I might not have seen yet. I think that’s one of the reasons why I take photos of Florence. I don’t just take photos to capture her beauty and share it, but also to remember that she presents more of her beauty to me every day with every step I take.

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Living in Florence :: To know Florence is to love Florence

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Florence. Even if you don't know me, it’s fairly obvious. I not only write about living in Florence, but I also take pictures of the beauty around me in Florence. I don’t love Florence just because of her apparent beauty; I love Florence because of how she makes me feel when I am here. Florence stirs up powerful emotions within me, she inspires me to listen more closely to my heart, she nudges me to act and speak from love, she motivates me to be sincere, and she encourages me to fully embrace who I am.

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Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Living in Florence :: Opening up to Florence’s beauty

To some people, Florence might just be a beautiful city to visit and enjoy. To me, Florence is one of my greatest loves. Loving a city is like loving a person: I was initially attracted to Florence’s beauty, I enjoy so many of her qualities, I accept my beloved city as she is, and I love how she makes me feel when I am in her embrace. I didn’t choose to love Florence by checking items off of a list, but rather by feeling her love inside of me. While I am attracted to Florence’s exterior, it is her interior that I fell in love with. Her heart, her soul, and her vibrant energy influence me every day.

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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Living in Florence :: Running up to San Miniato al Monte

I felt a twinge of excitement this morning as I closed the door of my apartment building and walked toward the Arno river. I have been running up to San Miniato al Monte for the past week and I couldn’t wait to get up there again today. I love running up the winding viale Michelangiolo on the path up to Piazzale Michelangiolo. When I first started running again, I would stroll around the Giardino delle Rose before heading back down through San Niccolò. Then, I would just stop at Piazzale Michelangiolo and take a few photos before running back down the viale. Nowadays, I run up to San Miniato, climb the steps to the church, and then run back down the viale.

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Monday, June 27, 2016

Living in Florence :: Letting Florence lead the way

People often ask me for my advice when they come to Florence for a visit. Instead of giving them any specific information about where to go and what to visit, I always suggest that people let themselves be drawn into Florence. Even though I have lived here for many years, I still enjoy letting Florence lead the way. For me, it’s the best way to discover new aspects of my beloved city. If I stick to what I know and where I’ve been, I’ll never discover anything new.

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Monday, April 18, 2016

Living in Florence :: Enjoying the gardens in Florence

As soon as I set foot on the narrow path in the Giardino Bardini, I feel a sense of tranquility come over me. While the gravel crunches under my feet, the hum of the city begins to fade. I take the shortcut to the top by hiking up the steps in the middle section of the gardens. At the top of the staircase, I see the two statues on the terrace wall. Instead of walking through the gardens on the right, I turn left and walk up the incline. I feel a sense of excitement as I stroll through the tunnel of purple and pink wisteria that has just started hanging down. When I reach the top, I look out at Florence and can only hear the birds chirping and the church bells ringing in the distance.

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