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| Street led to the Vatican We are ages 69 and 67, youngsters by all accounts. |
Throughout the decades of our life together, we had always said Let's go to Rome someday. Our answers were When the kids are older.
Then as time went by and our progeny left home, we said again, Let's go to Rome someday. Our answers were We have to save up for retirement. AND we can't get off from work.
Then after these excuses we eliminated, Let's go to Rome now. Does May sound good to you? Retirement and strong investments and inheritance from our mothers allowed us to do that.
We took the leap, found ourselves on a bus tour with 40 other retirees, having an awesome time.
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| Leading to Sistine Chapel |
But each one was filled will their own grandeur, well-used by parishioners. The kneeling rails showed decades of prayers. We were utterly humbled.
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| A small church tucked in a tiny street. I slipped down a step, but only my pride hurt. |
How-ever, this post is not about all the crazy
amazing historical splendid sites that could merit days and days of exploration all by themselves. This post is about the little things.
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| This is from the Jewish Ghetto. |
Now, instead of looking up at the gilded and amazing ceiling paintings, I found myself gazing down. Looking down at the cobblestones, I discovered shiny gold bronze plaques embedded within a sea of gray. Looking closer, bending over, I gasped as I read the engraved names and dates.
The left one reads (with difficulty, given its wear and probably misspelled):
Qui Abitava
Dora Fiatelli
Nata 1887
Arrestata 15.3.1943
Auschwitz
Morta 1.7.1944
Can you read them? Enlarge and see these "stumbling stones" as they are called.
These stumbling stones can be found throughout Europe, in probably every country.
Life is about the big and the little bits throughout history. It is easy to see the big grandeur amazing epic bits.
But for me, thecontemplativecat, turning a stone over and finding the magnificent there, this is the way I am. Looking down, as well as up, grants a picture of time and people.
Our someday has become someday we will return and learn more.
I am so glad that you got to go and experience your dream trip. We find excuses and put off so much in our lives and tomorrow never comes. How wonderful that it happened for you and your husband. Now start planning for the next one.
ReplyDeleteWe are already planning for 2020. :)
DeleteIt's always good to remember that power and magnificence is built on oppression and suffering.
ReplyDeleteThe sins committed can never be forgotten, should not be forgotten. Maybe, someday those sins will be recognized and admitted.
DeleteI love how you describe life. I have never heard of 'Stumbling Stones', but wow are they LIFE, and a reminder of LIFE! Yes we all say things like that, 'Some day', even we that say we don't! There is always 'one more' goal to someday reach. Without 'that' to look forward to, then what?
ReplyDeleteLove it lady. You kids go ahead, enjoy!
Sherry & jack enjoying Lancaster....
There will always be "someday, we will go see..." in the horizon.
DeleteLooking forward to hearing about Lancaster PA
Tiny little reminders of life snuffed out for no good reason. Heartbreaking what people lived through and eventually died from. Frightening to think that it could happen again somewhere...maybe even here. Gives me the shudders.
ReplyDeleteIt is horrifying to even imagine to think about such evil emerging and starting all over.
DeleteLooking good, both of you!
ReplyDeleteNever seen or heard of the plaques embedded in the cobblestones.
I guess any placement, up or down, suits the purpose of making us think and remember the Holocaust victims.
Someday I hope you will travel and see them. the plaques are in major cities in every country in Europe. Wikipedia site under Stumbling Stones lists where.
DeleteSo glad y'all realized your dream trip! I love Italy's narrow streets, its fascinating caches.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of these stumbling stones, but now I'll never forget them. Powerful.
Once you bend down and take the time to read them, you will never forget them.
DeleteI love that you looked for the little things. And that it made you discover something great.
ReplyDeleteTruth and history can be found, esp. in the little things, because no one takes the time to look.
DeleteIt is nice to see something like the Sistine Chapel. But it truly is the little 'finds' that make a trip really exciting.
ReplyDeleteTaking photos is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel. People have to examine (from the floor) what Michelangelo accomplished. Stunning.
DeleteGlad you just went! Yes, it is about the little things. London is also littered with small churches and many of them have people buried right there in the floor. So do have to look down now and then.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, people of history buried in naves of the churches! Those people have their images where they will be remembered for as long as the church stands.
DeleteJust a side note: Oliver Cromwell was interred in Westminster abbey with great fanfare. The following year, the Royals returned to the throne and Cromwell was dug up. Nothing lasts forever, in Cromwell's case.
Humbling.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Despite being the child of a German Jew I didn't know of stumbling stones. And wonder if any, anywhere carry his families names...
I am certain there is a list kept by those who started this non-profit, financed by families and companies. Check with the Wikipedia site, and other sites listed on Google. Finding his families' names would give you a connection to his history.
DeleteThe little things in life have the biggest impact. I've read about the stumbling stones but never seen them. Glad your dream trip to Rome was realized.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day!
It was a dream I never thought would actually happen.
DeleteI'm a down-looker as well... you learn so much more when your head isn't in the sky...
ReplyDeleteWell-said!
DeleteSurprisingly, I have heard of those stumbling stones before. It was on a TV show. Henry Winkler was looking for his family, and found one commemorating a relative. (It was some stupid thing about old guys travelling the world--famous old guys.)
ReplyDeleteThey are worth a research to understand more about the Holocaust, how people were ripped from every city in Europe.
DeleteIt is wonderful that you got to go. Some of the greatest human artistic achievements can be found in that city. Yet in the stumbling stones we are reminded of some of the worst things that humanity has done. I think that it is important that we be reminded of both.
ReplyDeleteKnowing the light and the dark gives a view of where history took us.
DeleteI loved Rome. I went with a group of friends and seemed to walk for hours, but it was worth it. Glad you finally got there.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a learning experience.
ReplyDeleteRome is astounding, this discovery more so. It's a sad testimony to a horrible time that i hope never happens again.
ReplyDeleteHow it happened 80 yr. ago is incredible.
DeleteMurdered, indeed. Stumbling stones.
ReplyDeleteSlaughtered is more accurate.
DeleteI think those Stumbling Stones are a lovely way to remember those who were taken against their will.
ReplyDeleteIt is a way that everyone, in all European countries, can be reminded. Always remember.
DeleteI'd love to visit Rome someday, and am delighted to read you were able to. Although I've never heard of stumbling stones, I am so short, I often look down rather than up. This was impactful.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, you will go to Rome someday. If you are well enough and have enough money, you could do it. We went on a Trafalga Bus Tour, for older people.
DeleteGreat that you got to go. True, looking down at the little things can be as big as looking at all the others.
ReplyDeleteSeeing these stones really affected me.
DeleteOh I hope you show more of this great trip! So happy that you could go. It's on my bucket list but having lost our jobs at 50 and 51 I am not sure it will get checked off now. But I can live vicariously through you. These gold stumbling stones are both moving and fascinating. I too saw Henry Winkler find one of his family and it was very moving. Thanks Susan for the trip to Rome this morning.
ReplyDeleteOh, that must have been powerful.
DeleteOh Susan, how wonderful! The trip of a lifetime. I do hope you'll share more photos and your feelings about the trip. The things you loved or not. I've never been to Italy and am longing to learn a little more.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I can do that. My photos are fairly candid, with members of the tour around us. But, that is the way I like to show our photos. It adds personality having people set against ancient structures.
DeleteA truly wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you, Susan.
Thank you. Have you been to Rome? If so, what are your impressions?
DeleteIt is so wonderful that you got to go.
ReplyDeleteI'd not heard of stumbling stones.
I did enjoy both reading your words and looking at your photographs.
All the best Jan
Please look them up in Wikipedia! I hope others do as well. Until that trip, I also had never heard of them. But now I want to find out more.
DeleteAnd to think that some bigots still deny the Shoah. It is beyond disgusting.
ReplyDeleteSo much to say in agreement with you.
DeleteSusan:
ReplyDeleteRome is one of those wonderful places that (imho) everyone should have the chance to visit. I never have, but the allure is there anyway.
Yet, in today's world, much of the "magic" seems to be missing whenever one thinks about visiting abroad. There is always the safety factor that we didn't have a couple decades ago.
What I also hate is how Ireland from 30 years has morphed into a a big Irish circus. Pub food used to be the best place to eat. Now it serves stuff like Irish Nachos, From history and culture to what it is, lost.
ReplyDelete