Walking through streets older than memory,
I felt something shift.
At the Trevi Fountain,
my wife and I tossed a coin.
Not to ask for more.
Just to say thank you.
Through the Roman Forum and Colosseum,
history stopped feeling distant.
It felt close.
Real.
Inside the Pantheon,
I thought about time.
About how many lives had passed through it.
How many dreams had stood where we were standing.
Nearby, we found a small gelateria with more 150 flavors.
Too many to choose from.
Too tempting to ignore.
Then, a stop at Venchi.
More gelato.
More laughter.
More “let’s try one more.”
Walking through Rome
with gelato in hand,
laughing like kids.
Getting lost.
Finding our way back.
Laughing at the wrong turns.
Then came the part
that stayed with me the most.
Vatican City.
Inside St. Peter’s Basilica
and beneath the masterpieces of the Sistine Chapel,
I felt small,
in the best way.
Surrounded by centuries of faith,
prayer,
and devotion.
Looking up at Michelangelo’s work,
standing beneath a dome
that has witnessed generations of believers,
I realized how human hands,
guided by faith,
can create something
that feels close to heaven.
As devout Catholics,
this wasn’t just another stop.
It was a blessing.
We lined up before sunrise.
Queued for hours.
Tired.
Sleepy.
Hopeful.
And it was worth it.
We stood just a few feet away
from Pope Francis.
Few feet away. Few. Single digits.
Close enough to see his smile.
Close enough to feel the moment.
Surreal.
Along the way,
we met fellow Filipinos.
Travelers.
Families.
Dreamers.
A senior citizen cried,
“Puwede na ako mamatay.
Nakapunta na ako sa Vatican.”
Was she exaggerating?
Maybe.
Or maybe she was just in awe.
Because when you come from humble beginnings,
moments like this feel unreal.
Like grace
you never expected.
Rome didn’t feel like a flex.
It felt like grounding.
It wasn’t about being amazed anymore.
It was about being present.
Holding her hand.
Sharing gelato.
Praying together.
Saying thank you.
No pressure.
No performance.
No proving anything.
Just gratitude.
Rome felt like a pause.
A breath.
A reminder that before chasing what’s next,
it’s okay to stand still
and appreciate where you are.
With her.
And somehow,
that made everything
even more meaningful.