Weather can make a huge difference!

I have heard that people who live in places without sun have a tendency to get depressed. I don't know that I really grasped with until the last few weeks. The weather in Perugia has been a bit unpleasant lately for a Texas girl who is use to laying out by a pool in March. Technically spring began on March 21, but today has been the first day it has felt like spring. I am hoping it will stay. There is a tradition that the weather that occurs on April 4th, will be the weather for the next 40 days. I am hoping for a sunny day that day.

I have come to realize that a sunny day can make the biggest difference in my perspective and attitude. I don't think it is just me, because on rainy and cold days people stay indoors. For a city that is full of outdoor life, bad weather makes for feeling cooped up. On days of sun people are out, eating gelato, sitting and talking in the parks and piazzas, window shopping and enjoying life.
For me the sun brings warmth and renews my spirit. It makes me happy! So today I went with my friend, Nobuko, to the market (which was quite an experience - maybe for another post). We hung out on the steps of the Duomo, ate gelato and watched people walking down the Corso, which is pictured to the left.
As I think about this need for sun and fresh air, I am amazed at how Noah and his family handled over 40 days in an arc. No sun, no land, probably no fresh air, just each other and the aroma of many animals. Praise the Lord I was not called to that, but God knows what we can handle.
I think the good weather in Italy causes a focus on the outer beauty of the country, and can allow me to forget that there is a need for the Lord in people's hearts. The cold and rainy days that make the beautiful views disappear are a reminder of what is beneath the surface and the true need of The Son.