Movie moments

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Have you ever been watching a film and had a moment when you sighed and thought "if only...if only I could have a moment like that?"

For me it happens often. I see a scene with just the right song and just the right atmosphere and emotion, and I often wish I could have that. Then my heart gets cut off by my sometimes overly-practical mind which says "Jennifer, it's a movie not real life." But see, I'm a romantic at heart, so I never give up on dreaming of those "once-in-a-lifetime feelings." But it's not just about love. I'm a romantic about life. There are some instances in this crazy, hectic world when things are so beautiful and so right that your heart starts to pound like it does when you are madly in love. Those are moments I live for! I call those my movie moments.

Last night I got to experience a moment so beautiful, so precious, and so special that you could have captured it on camera and inserted it right onto the big screen. It was nothing big, nothing lavish. In fact it was the simplicity of it that made it so emotional for me.

The evening was lovely. A walk seaside in a small, family town. A delicious dinner of assorted fish and handmade pasta with the local community. But that's not what gave me chills, nor is it what brought tears to my eyes. It was the ride home...

On the way home, outside the bustling, boisterous city of Rome, we were surrounded by countryside and open road. The only sounds were coming those from the radio. It was like everything else just melted away. Even with the windows down, it was as though some higher power came and removed any distractions, so that I could truly notice the intricate details of the nature surrouding us.

Suddenly a song came on the radio, a favorite of mine by Renato Zero called "I migliori anni della nostra vita" (the best years of our lives). The music filled the car as I looked out the window to see a clear sky dusted with the most luminous stars, large trees standing straight stretching up almost as if to touch the tips of the lights in the sky. The scent of freshly cut grass, flowers, and wild herbs whirled around us. Then without thought I had that deep sigh, I felt the goosebumps on my arms, and a tear rolled down my check. Involuntarily the sides of my mouth curled up, and I realized that I was having my movie moment. Happiness that came from nothing other than being in a place I love and taking the time to appreciate why I love it. A flawless experience, which I only wish I could have bottled up to take with me to experience over again!

It may sound foolish and it may be something no one can understand, at least not just from reading the words I have put down here. However, I sincerely hope that everyone can experience these movie moments and appreciate them.

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