There is not a day that goes by where Florence does not make an appearance in my thoughts--whether it's the people I met there, an experience I had, or the pride I take in having set a goal and accomplished it, all by and for myself. I didn't realize at the time that its significance would span a lifetime, and even though the excitement died down near the end of my stay there, I know that it will forever remain a symbol of some of the best times of my life. Total independence, living in the moment, learning a language, soaking up culture--being able to truly enjoy myself, even though no great romantic adventure was had--these are the things I will most remember. This was Youth, concentrated in a city in a moment in time, in a girl who believed that life was just beginning.
What I would give to be her again.
Is it possible to abandon one's ties to responsibility in one's hometown? Or can one only find lightness in some far-off destination? I created an identity while abroad that cannot exist back home. There are morsels of it that I wish to smuggle with me, but instead I think it best to acquire them anew.
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