A little bit of everything

I never thought bubbles would be the most exciting part of my day in Italy. But there I was, with a stupid grin, feeling totally giddy as I watched little children jump, straining toward the bubble that was just out of reach. The smiles on their faces as they laughed and ran about were contagious in a very real way.

With guitar music streaming into the scene and a carousel right beyond the gleeful kids, there couldn't have been a more perfect moment. Man and dog alike were in a state of elation, with one particular french bull dog perhaps having the best day EVER (the little guy almost took out a kid while dashing toward a bubble, but man, was he happy).

A small crowd had started to form around us and we all seemed to be in a bubble of our own, where nothing could touch us and everything was right. All the world would ever be was joyful; full of beauty and life.

Even as I left the square I was filled with a certain contentment and peace. There is something about those unplanned, little moments that amount to far more than anything we could have planned ourselves.

I had come so close to missing this little bit of heaven we'd stumbled upon. I had planned to see one of the most incredible views in Italy at the top of the Duomo, but after a mix up with tickets, I instead came across a scene far better than any the top of the building could have offered.

Landscapes are brilliant and breathtaking, but there's something about seeing people, joy and life that ends up taking the cake. To see parents radiating as they watch their kids run about. To see young adults act a little less adult to pop the bubble that comes their way. To see Italians, Asians, and Americans alike enjoying the same simple satisfaction of technicolor spheres floating through the sky. 

I guess Italy is teaching me to not focus on my own agenda so much, but to instead take in a little bit of everything.