I’m finding it hard to get started this morning.  I got up earlier than usual; don’t know why, but my sleeping patterns are all over the place lately.  Anyway, I had been thinking a lot about our Sunday post on nudity and felt there were some more things I wanted to say, but when I turned on the computer the first thing that grabbed my attention was the news about the earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy.   I am so saddened by this tragedy!  At last count over a hundred people had been confirmed dead and several beautiful medieval towns destroyed.  I’m sorry to have to bring this up on a Monday morning when so many of you have had a wonderful weekend (hopefully) and are looking forward to a great work week.   This is what living in a global cummunity is all about.  We share each other’s pain as well as the pleasures.

I was lucky enough to have had the combination of Airmiles, credit card space and ‘blinkers on’ in order to take my family to Italy last summer and, though we didn’t visit the area around L’Aquila, we did do some driving around the countryside close by and saw several amazingly intact medieval and Romanesque villages.  We popped in for cappucinos and gelato every chance we got and met some wonderfully friendly locals in cafes and galleries.  My heart goes out to these people who are now experiencing such devastation.

So how can we make it better?  Well, the Red Cross could always use a extra $10 or so.  Or let this be a reminder to stash away some clean bottled water and non-perishable foods just in case (heaven forbid) something like this ever happens in your area.  And send out your best wishes and prayers to the beautiful, strong, life-loving people in Italy.  I believe they’ll feel it and it will make a difference.