Greetings from Florence, Friend!
Overlooking Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo, I’m reminded that beauty often comes from brokenness.
This city has been through hell and back during its long history. Plagues, wars, floods, fires – you name it. Repeated destruction, followed by rebirth and renewal.
Like a phoenix, Florence rose from the ashes again and again. Now, the result of those cycles is breathtaking. The elegant Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, the gorgeous sunsets. Beauty forged through hardship.
This resonates with my own story. My spinal cord injury felt like a personal apocalypse at first. My dreams for the future, shattered in an instant.
With time and perspective, though, I learned to find new hope, new dreams. Emerging from that “fire” changed, but not destroyed.
We all experience twists of fate that break us. The question is what we build from the wreckage. How will your fire refine you?
Florence taught me that our most powerful, beautiful selves can rise when we alchemize hard experiences into wisdom. Don’t let adversity break you. Let it open your heart and broaden your vision.
Healing takes time, just like Florence wasn’t rebuilt in a day. Give yourself grace, and step forward bravely into your new normal, whatever that may be. The beauty will come.
At golden hour in Florence, all visible flaws fade away. Light shines on its monuments, its people, its enduring spirit. What if you saw yourself and others in that same light?
So that’s your call to action: how can you turn your current struggle into art? Is there a way for your story to uplift others who feel alone in their pain? You have the paintbrush – begin crafting your masterpiece. 🎨🖌️🖼️
Ciao for now,
Chris
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Finding Beauty in Brokenness: Lessons from Florence 🎨
