While Dave was stationed in Greece in 1999, he planned a trip to Venice with a couple of friends. At the last minute both buddies were unable to go. Not wanting to miss the experience, Dave went alone. He joked that he “felt like a loser” riding alone in the gondola, but as usual, he wouldn’t let anything deter him from enjoying the experience. As a Mom, I said, “Awww, Dave, why didn’t you postpone your trip so that you didn’t have to go alone?” His response was that he was glad it worked out the way it did because it was just by chance that he walked by a church where a rehearsal was taking place for a concert to be held later that evening. His love of all types of music brought him back that night. Had he been with his friends, he was sure they wouldn’t have chosen the concert as their past-time for the evening and he wouldn’t have had “one of the most beautiful experiences” he ever had. He so enjoyed listening to the concert by candlelight in an old church in Venice.
After Dave’s death, it became very important to me to do my best attend the same concert and experience the beauty he described. Fortunately, Dave was a pack rat so I amazingly located the program from the concert in his “memorabilia box.” So, naturally when I went to Italy with my brother and sister-in-law this past September, Venice and the concert were on the top of the list. We just needed to find it!
After searching for several hours, we did find the church; Chiesa San Bartolomeo, but the concerts were no longer held there. The church is the oldest church in Venice and it wasn’t open the day we were there. We didn’t give up because we knew from the internet that the same group, Interpreti Veneziani, continued to perform regularly in Venice. During our search for the new home of the concert, Chiesa San Vidal, we kept our eyes open for a beautiful spot to sprinkle some of Dave’s ashes. As we crossed one of the many footbridges, we saw the grounds of the Institute of Art with its beautiful landscaping and flowers. We knew that this was just the right place for Dave.
We walked out the gates of the Institute and, to our amazement, we found the church where the concert was to be held that night. It was the same group with the same musical selections. (I brought Dave’s program.)
During the concert, I closed my eyes and imagined Dave enjoying the music. I was so happy that we found this beautiful connection with Dave and that we, too, experienced what he felt was “one of the most beautiful experiences” he ever had. It is comforting to know that a little bit of Dave rests just a few feet away from the church where the concerts are held every night.
It was a beautiful, but sad evening. Come un sogno !!! (Like a dream!!!)
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