Saturday Morning

A light breeze off the nearby sea made its way to our room, so we ate quickly, hoping to make it to the Cathedral before the rush. Out on the street, the morning sun on old Palermo reminded us of gifts past and present.

We offered thanks to those who surveyed so engineers and builders might lay down walkways

and stairways

for safe passage.

And for the masons, who built and repaired for centuries, not just years.

And the designers of churches,

parochial

and monumental,

with their arches,

towers,

and vast interiors.

Special thanks to the designers of domes

which elevate both eye

and spirit.

The artists, too, who paint to transform,

historicize,

and sentimentalize.

Of course, there are those who meet our day to day needs.

The musicians,

the book sellers,

and the watch sellers,

who replace the Walmart with better at half the price.

Most importantly the little ones who, should we forget, remind us

of the supreme importance of play.