Driving in Italy

Last week I returned to our hometown and this entailed driving the motorway for the first time.

I don’t know why I’d been scaring myself about this but I guess I’m allowed to worry a little bit about the speed of Italian drivers.

Francesco did all our driving. He was so trustworthy, fast, yes, but always safe.

I’d been praying for his support on my drive knowing that we can ask our loved ones for help in the areas they were so good at in this lifetime.

In order to leave the city & get on the motorway for Ostuni I had to cross the Ponte Penna bridge.

This is a huge flyover with the sea to the left and to the right, usually hosting a few military ships & filled with fishing nets catching the local cozze that Taranto is so famous for.

Even though it’s a flyover it’s always been a memorable place where Fran and I would gasp in awe at the beauty of the sparkling sea to each side of us, the hills to the front and the city disappearing into the background behind us.

Moving onto this flyover I felt my heart beating fast.

I glanced in the rearview mirror taking in the beauty of his city lit up behind me by the warm spring sunshine.

You can imagine my delight when Fran’s favourite song, “Enjoy The Silence,” came blasting on the radio at this very moment!

I turned up Depeche Mode and burst into happy tears.

I felt alive for the first time in months.

You see this was his sign that he was right there with me taking this first journey back to our original hometown.

Now that I’ve done this trip once I feel I can do it a thousand times again.

A sense of independence is emerging and I see that as a bit of progress despite the emotional roller coaster of grief.

I’m looking forward to spending more time in the car with Fran, knowing he will guide me and provide the perfect songs to put me at ease and sing along to.