10 Years Ago, Part II

Ten years ago, I was in Rome.
Ten years ago, on February 29th, I visited the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Raphael

In looking back on my notes, I wrote that the Raphael room was one of my favorites.  And finding the image online I remember that truly it was!  But really, how could one pick favorites in the Vatican Museum, right?  I mean, its all glorious!

My mom has a term she uses to describe a certain state of being  -- the state of having "spiritual indigestion."  And, unfortunately for me, that is what I had that day.  I was full, satiated, crammed and overflowing with beautiful-ness.   Every turn, every stop, every day there was more richness to see!  We had been in Rome a month, and every day we saw something new and wonderful.  And then, we went to the Vatican Museums.  And the Sistine Chapel!  And to my dismay (and deep guilt as I recall) I was not appreciative enough. Too much rich food!

I remember wandering from room to incomparable, glorious room, so crowded with people and more people.  The Sistine Chapel came at the end of the walk, but I couldn't just "skip" to the end -- I was IN the VATICAN MUSEUMS and I had to see every room!  But I was overstimulated and weary, and felt like I couldn't look any more.

And then I saw something that I remember so clearly.  In my memory it stood alone, no one around it, no one looking, framed against a backdrop of windows.  The light was clear and incandescent, as Rome light is wont to be, as it calmly surrounded this simple work of art.

And God bless the worldwide web, because I found a picture of this and it is perfect.  Because this is what I saw.

And in that moment, this was a message to me.

And so now, my Chesteron quote, taken from The Resurrection of Rome

"I do not mean that [Rome] is a place where the mind can dreamily return to the past.  I mean it is a place where the past can actually return to the present . . . I mean that it has a sort of access to its own origins, and a power upon its own vanished youth, which is what is really meant by calling it The Eternal City."

Linking at Sarah's