The Colosseum in Rome is huge.  An elliptical building is 615 feet long and 510 feet wide covering about 6 acres. The outer wall is 157 feet tall.  The arena is 287 feet by 180 feet with a 15 foot wall.  There was an awning used to protect spectators from the sun which took 1,000 men to put in place.  It took 400 men working in the chambers (two floors) under the arena floor using 36 trap doors to move beasts and people to the arena surface. http://www.colosseum.net/listingview.php?listingID=4

Another view of the Piazza Waither Platz taken from our window early Monday morning.  Even though the day is cloudy and temperatures leaning toward cool the residents of Bolzano are out and about. Italians love to be outside mingling with each other. 

A picture of spring.  A blue heron near its nest.  Taken in the our local Coastal Wetlands Bird Sanctuary, this blue heron is one of several sitting patiently in a tree.  Nesting starts usually in February with baby chicks appearing in April/May time frames.  A perfect example of life springing forth.  It’s nice to know that no matter what we do Mother Nature is reliable.

Spiritual balance is not something out there that we go running after,  hoping to stumble across and catch.  The Spiritual balance in our lives is something we have to work at.  We have to work at being a better people.  The journey takes soul searching and awareness.  Most of all, it takes being able to accept where we are in the journey and knowing where we want to be.  Like the egret (in our coastal wetlands sanctuary) we have to be in the here and now aware of our surroundings.  We need to be willing to work for change to make the world a better place. 

A mural on the side of a local building.  It is a comforting reminder that it takes a group working in unison toward a common objective to solve problems.  It is the relationships, which are important because without sound relationships, communities fall apart.

The beauty of the day can be simply overwhelming.  For an instant we are captivated by the here and now.  Reality reaches through the thoughts and issues which cloud our minds and it touches our hearts.  For a second we are snapped into the present and say to ourselves what an incredible day.  Blooms are just now opening on this white hyacinth we received from a friend.  The beauty of the flower is constantly evolving and developing.  It would be a shame not to watch and smell this miracle of life unfold,

We are the culmination of our body and soul working in unison, and as Aristotle said, “the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.”  The body is important but we also need to feed the soul.  The beauty is just outside our door.   These beautiful Pride of Madeira were along  our walk last weekend just waiting to be found.

Walking along the beach the other day we came face to face with nature.  This incredible gift we have received from nature makes our self-created problems seem so trivial.  The political infighting could be solved if we really wanted it solved.  We have more important issues to worry about.