The bright side of yesterday

So if you read my blog yesterday, you know that it was not the best day of my life.   Pretty much everything that could go wrong did, from documentation being missing, to flight delayed and baggage lost. 

I use a spiritual practice called the “Examen.”  It’s a practice that goes back to Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuits, and, put simply, at the end of each day I ask myself, what has been my greatest consolation today, and what has been my greatest desolation.   Or, put another way, what has brought me closer to God’s Love, and what has pushed me further from it (or in the direction of needing it and leaning on it just to stay going.).   I even do this with Audrey, when I tuck her in at night, when I am sitting with her.  I ask what is the best thing in the day and the worst.

Yesterday was a real desolation kind of day. The worst part was missing precious time with my brother, Patrick, whom I don’t get to see very often, because he lives in Germany.   That crushed me!   

But there was a consolation at the end.   It was meeting and finding Giuseppe.   Giuseppe owns La Casa di Peppe, the little house pictured above, in a back courtyard off a residential street in Rome, about 2 km from the city center.   Not a fabulous location, but a basic, relatively cheap self-catering apartment.  And Giuseppe has been overwhelmingly gracious and helpful.   He met me, at 1:30 in the morning, when I got here, he texted me all the the while I was going through things to let me know know it would all work out and the Casa was ready for me.   

This morning I discovered that he had tea bags in the apartment!   Since my instant coffee is in the luggage that was lost, I was looking forward to a caffeine headache this morning, but instead I got tea.   

Not everything in yesterday was bad.  The woman who helped me find the locator form for Germany was also very nice and helpful.   

The people around me were my consolation yesterday, and the people online who commiserate with me, prayed for me and just loved me.   Even the guy who took my lost luggage report.  

One more bright spot.   I had eaten almost nothing.  A muffin and coffee in the morning, a half a sandwich at noontime (but my guts were so worked up, I could barely stand it so I stopped) and an orange.   Knowing it could be a couple of days before I was able to get a food delivery, I was resigned to some fasting, when the flight attendant on my flight to Rome brought me a very delicious sandwich, on brown bread, with a curry mayo, carrots and shredded zucchini.   I had no idea I would get a snack, and being finally on the final plane, I ha managed to relax and actually feel that I was hungry!!!!   It seemed like an amazing treat.