Laura sent me a text message. She is waiting for me at the Arezzo station. Sara is working in Firenze this morning, but will be back shortly. We're going to all meet this afternoon and have lunch together.
I bought some pasta named 'Pici' and lipgloss from Laura's favorite shop KIKO Cosmetics, based out of Milano.
We had an emotional reunion. We haven't all been together for at least four years, although I have seen both girls separately in between.
After a simple lunch, I asked Sara to tell me about her work with Rondine. She helps foreign University students from third world countries. I need to research this organization which has connections with San Francesco (Saint Frances).
Leo took me to nearby Assisi and La Verna, both important spiritual locations for San Francesco. I discovered the stories Leo told me about San Francesco are not common knowledge in Cremona. Rosa and Marta had never read the 'Preghiera Simplice' ('Simple Prayer).
Simple Prayer
St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where there is despair, let me sow hope.
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Preghiera Simplice
O Signore, fa' di me uno strumento della tua pace:
dove è odio, fa' che io porti amore;
dove è offesa ch'io porti il perdono;
dove è discordia, ch'io porti unione;
dove è dubbio, ch'io porti la fede;
dove è errore, ch'io porti la verità;
dove è disperazione, ch'io porti la speranza;
dove è tristezza, ch'io porti la gioia;
dove sono le tenebre, ch'io porti la luce.
O Maestro, fa' che io non cerchi tanto:
ad essere consolato, quanto a consolare;
ad essere compreso, quanto a comprendere;
ad essere amato, quanto ad amare.
Hear the prayer in Italian here: Preghiera Semplice
Anyhow, I offered to translate their website into English. The organization runs on low funds and I am happy to do this for free. I have Sara's business card. We'll communicate later by email. I used to translate for Leo and I miss the work.
Sara and Laura were not friends at the Univeristy of Firenze until Leo paired them up for a research project. They bonded as soon as they met.
They both live in the Arezzo area but mostly keep in touch using FaceBook. Laura travels a lot with her singing career. Sara recently returned from an internship with Ferragamo in New York.
We all agreed, we felt Leo close by today. Our friendship was his gift to us.
Leo's students loved him as much as he loved each of them!
Prof Alessandro Trojani
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