Italy Day #2 – Recovery And Spirituality

The stressful lead up to this trip was amazing. We needed to have a 48 hour precedent COVID negative test, plus a European Union passenger locator form, in addition to our vaccine records, to be able to even fly on United Airlines. Once we received approval to fly, oh my, the jet lag from 3 connecting flights to Naples (Napoli) over 26 hours was disabling.

.

Our first night in Italy was spent in a nice hotel, the Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto in Sorrento, and it will be the hotel that we stay in for the next week. Sorrento is central to our next week’s activities, which include visits to the island Of Caprice, drives and boat rides along the Amalfi Coast, and visits to archeological sites such as Pompei, Herculaneum, and Paestum.

.

Our grandson Mitch Graves and I barely made it to 8pm on our first day in Italy last night. Our balance was disturbed by sleep deprivation/jet lag, and we both walked like drunken sailors, without alcohol. I slept a personal record of 11 hours. Mitch and my wife Sharon somehow arose earlier. First full day in Sorrento, off on walking tour. Starting to feel closer to normal, though I called Mitch ” Brad” (his father’s name) on morning walk- –embarrassing! While awaiting the return to normal, we are all getting excited about rest of incredible trip.

Mitch is youngest tour group member, me 2nd, out of 22 total. Most tour group members are very successful people from various walks in life (I ignored the calling of success), and a great resource for grandson for further career inspiration.

A fun photo of when Mitch was a little younger is included. We have not seen much of Mitch since 1999, so this trip is a huge connection link for us.

His new name is archangel Miguel ( you will have to ask him the story)

Mitch and I when Mitch was two years old. We were in Spain in 1999, while he lived there, and we visited him.

Mitch is now 24 years old, and is 6′ 3″. Grandma Sharon is hanging in there at 5′ 7″

Related

Categories: Musings

Bruce

Presently, I am 67 years old, and I am learning how to live the life of a retired person. I am married to Sharon White, a retired hospice nurse, and writer. Whose Death Is It Anyway-A Hospice Nurse Remembers Sharon is a wonderful friend and life partner of nearly 30 years. We have three grandsons through two of Sharon's children. I am not a published writer or poet. My writings are part of my new life in retirement. I have recently created a blog, and I began filling it up with my writings on matters of recovery and spirituality. I saw that my blog contained enough material for a book, so that is now my new intention, to publish a book, if only so that my grandsons can get to know who their grandfather really was, once I am gone. The title for my first book will be: Penetrating The Conspiracy Of Silence, or, How I Lived Beyond My Expiration Date I have since written 7 more books, all of which are now posted on this site. I have no plans to publish any of them, as their material is not of general interest, and would not generate enough income to justify costs. I have taken a deep look at life, and written extensively about it from a unique and rarely communicated perspective. Some of my writing is from 2016 on to the present moment. Other writing covers the time prior to 1987 when I was a boy, then an addict and alcoholic, with my subsequent recovery experience, and search for "Truth". Others are about my more recent experiences around the subjects of death, dying, and transformation, and friends and family having the most challenging of life's experiences. There are also writings derived from my personal involvement with and insight into toxic masculinity, toxic religion, toxic capitalism, and all of their intersections with our leadere. These topics will not be a draw for all people, as such personal and/or cultural toxicities tends to get ignored, overlooked, or "normalized" by those with little time for insight, introspection, or interest in other people's points of view on these troubling issues. There also will be a couple of writings/musings about "GOD", but I try to limit that kind of verbal gymnastics, because it is like chasing a sunbeam with a flashlight. Yes, my books are non-fiction, and are not good reading for anybody seeking to escape and be entertained. Some of the writings are spiritual, philosophical and intellectual in nature, and some descend the depths into the darkest recesses of the human mind. I have included a full cross section of all of my thoughts and feelings. It is a classic "over-share", and I have no shame in doing so. A Master Teacher once spoke to me, and said "no teacher shall effect your salvation, you must work it out for yourself". "Follow new paths of consciousness by letting go of all of the mental concepts and controls of your past". This writing represents my personal work towards that ultimate end.