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December 14, 2005
The Birthday That Almost Wasn't
I can’t believe how long I’ve not written. Dear reader, you must think that I’ve forgotten you, or even Maddalena.
Not so. Please step back with me in time. Two months ago I left, all excited, for Sicily, but only now I’m beginning to think about a fun journey that had nearly cost my life.
Oh, Sicilia, what beautiful land you are, where the past and present surround the visitor under azure skies. But, how you had fooled me! The Straits of Messina were stormy dark, except for the massive lightning bolts directing the ferry across the channel.
Travelling, as we all know, can be adventurous. So, I held no grudges. The next day, Mount Etna loomed majestically against the blue skies, framed like an empress in one of the arches of the Greek theater in Taormina.
And then, after another day packed with exciting sites, and ready for a late dinner, I found myself on the ground in the middle a street, with a throbbing head and hurting body, utterly and completely disoriented. A hush of voices brought me back, to find out that I had been hit by a car--unknowingly, and from behind, by a young man who had the gut to ask why I didn't hear his honking as he was about to hit me.
Well, I didn't. Neither did my husband. At least the car had missed him.
How do I feel now? Much better. More importantly, it no longer matters that the dark street, void of cars and people, had a huge red light flashing no entry for vehicles, or that my bruised body quickly protested a journey that had once been a dream of a lifetime.
I sit here, frustrated by a mind that still plays tricks on me once in a while, remembering all the good things, grateful for having celebrated another birthday after coming home. I almost feel immortal, like the gods whose beautiful temples I had missed.
Some day, I’ll finish the journey. There is so much to experience. Ancient treasures, incredible topography, memorable cuisine. But for now, I prefer to cherish every minute of each and every new day.
Posted by Eva Siroka at December 14, 2005 09:42 PM