Il Mio Ritorno a Firenze
I had not been to Florence since I studied abroad there in 2015 and it was wonderful to return to a place that had so much influence on me. I walked around reminiscing on the myriad of memories associated with the city, which even after a couple years had barely changed. Florence is a bit like a polar opposite of New York City, stubbornly and systematically resisting change in favor of a much slower pace of life. I explored some of my old haunts and was happy to be introduced to a few new ones. It was a strange feeling, though, like stepping into a time machine, to see that everything was exactly as I'd left it save for the few new restaurants or cafes here and there (I think there were a grand total of two new places, truly wild overturn for this place). I would never expect something like that from NYC, where newness is the name of the game, and I'm not sure which is the better attitude. Is it better to enjoy a leisurely life, where time is of no concern and change is unnecessary, or better to strive always for the next thing, living day to day in a whirlwind? I don't know if I have an answer and there are parts of me that lean either way.
