The Rolling Stones and Milan
As a 19yo studying Italian, I ran to Santa Maria Novella train station after class and caught the first train to Milano Centrale. The Rolling Stones were playing that evening and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Mick Jagger sing the songs that echoed from my father’s old record player. I sat on a thin plastic awning that separated me from the good seats to get a better view and Mick Jagger did not disappoint. He ran front to back, left to right In his silver leather pants. I swear I could see his swollen lips clearly from my terribly uncomfortable seat. He thundered my favorite songs. I waved my arms and extended my smile to everyone. Mesmerized by the music and crowd exhilaration, I lost track of time and missed the last train back to Firenze. I slept on a marble bench in Milano Centrale, eaten alive by zanzare (mosquitos). I awoke to the morning crowd, rushing to catch trains. I rushed back to Florence, running straight from Santa Maria Novella to class. Five minutes late, panting and grasping for breath, I apologized in Italian. Per piacere perdonami, non potevo aspettare per vedere Mick Jagger. I couldn’t wait to see Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones. Knowing that You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need. Anne Frank’s House My friend Nina and I only considered for a moment to stand in the long line outside of Anne Frank’s hiding. It was enough to hear the chiming of her clock and the cobblestone roads where she road her bike. I imagined her daydreaming in the same spot where I stood, by a canal that reflected both a rainbow and bikes to me. What I remember most was the speckles of deep blue that painted sections of the sky-reaching clock tower. The glimmer of gold embellishments failed to understand Anne’s point that treasure does not shine. That treasure is the sky, something all people enjoy by just looking up. The clock chimed, but time stood still. I did not have to wait for my dear friend’s hug or our shadows capturing our joyous dance better than any picture. We looked up, realizing that we had found treasure. Pura Vida In Costa Rica, I found a pure life when I got my yoga teaching certification. My body exhausted by hours of movement, my mind boundless and wandering. On dirt roads, I walked toward a continuum of rainbows. One after another interconnected and blazing with color. There was no rain or clouds, just life made pure with a vibrancy of colors. At night, I found my own temple where I hung upside down over a ledge gazing at the speckles of light that sang to me from the next town over. The night cradled me as my soul opened to midnight’s gulf. Upside down, I saw pure life. A heart open to the abyss.
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