Live Living

So this is actually this is an email I sent to the parentals on Tuesday, but I'm posting it because I haven't had much time to blog and itgives ua a good idea of what i've been up to and some of the great experiences I've had. There's another onecoming from Vienna!

Hello friends and family! I dont have really great cell service here, but our hotel has free wi fi so im taking advantage of that with this handy iPhone business. Sorry i havent been able to blog. Im trying to stay updated but its tough when you have to pay to use the internet. Ha! I am now in the beautiful city of Venice. It's been raining non stop since we've got here and it kind of smells real bad, so those are some down sides but other than that life is great! I am having the time of my life here in Europe. This trip isthe best idea of the century. It's one thing to study the slides and see pictures of masterpieces in the classroom, but it is a whole other experience to see them in real life. Sometimes I feel I don't recognize even famous things because they have a completely different effect when you're there standing in front of it. This was especially true with things I saw in Florence, starting with two of my favorite paintings I saw in the uffizi, primavera and the birth of venus both by Botticelli. He was an early Renaissance painter and his paintings are just beautiful. I could stare at the faces of his women for hours. They are the ideal representation of female beauty. Some call them cartoonish almost, but I just love them. Look them up and see what you think. Although nothing compares to seeing them in person, just like I said. :) the same is also true with Michelangelo's David. (and to appease father's fears, it's not because he's nude...) but he is beautiful! There has never been a more perfect sculpture of the human form. One of the discussions I had with some other girls on the trip was about Michelangelo and how he was so sincerely devout. We decided that because his figures are so perfect, especially in his images of Biblical figures, that by glorifying the human body he was glorifying God. I really like that idea. It gives whole new meaning to michelangelo's works. He was truly a master. Yesterday evening, my friend Claire and I decided to climb to San miniato al monte, a monastery on a hill overlooking Florence. It was a brilliant idea we did have and an adventure I will surely remember. It started raining and lightening on the way up and for a moment we were pretty scared, lightening struck and instantlythe thunder had us both jumping pretty high. So we walked a bit faster. Once we got to the top, the views were gorgeous and it stopped raining enough to see the beautiful city that rests peacefully between the Arno river and picturesque rolling Tuscan hills. The rain took a break long enough to allow us to get some pictures. When it started raining again we ducked into the church. Right as the bells struck 17:30, we heard the beginnings of the Benedictine monks' chants and singing. Oh what a glorious sound. We took some seats to stay and listen. The church had nothing but a few candles and the little light that flooded in through the front door to light it. It was so peaceful sitting there. I couldn't help but think about these men and what a marvelous idea they lived, the idea of complete devotion to their God and living with no worldly things. I started to wonder if I could ever do that? Give up everything i had in exchange for a life of complete and total devotion that consisted of nothing else but prayer, study, service, and contemplation? I know I should be if I had too. Food for thought that was. I've been learning so much about not only art but these different cultures and religions. There is so much beauty in the world! I see it in the people of these different faiths and cultures! I see it in these buildings that are centuries old! I see it in the landscapes as I watch out my window on the trains! I love every minute of it and I wish everyone could experience it with me. It is a great thing to know and experience the beauty that lies outside my bubble I am in 93% of my time. I want to lower that percentage. I am doing it now! What a great thing. :) anyways, this is kind of long and we have an early morning tomorrow, so I'm signing off to go to bed. But I love you all and I hope you are as well as I! :)

Love kell.