LAUDS UNDER THE DAWN AND A SWEATY HAND

North Of Italy, 7:15 PM

Last night I slept about seven hours, which is not bad at all by my recent standards.

At 5:30 AM the birds 🐦 were already singing — something that wasn’t happening just a few weeks ago — which means spring is truly near. 😃

At dawn I put God first.

I don’t always manage to do that, nor do I always feel like it, I must admit.

But waking up with Morning Lauds is incredibly sweet — it gives the whole day a sacred tone. 🕊️

And I often discover new meanings in the same prayers.

It’s so moving.

I also took a hot shower 🚿, something I don’t do often enough out of laziness, yet once I’m in, I never want to get out.

I was in a hurry, so I couldn’t stay under the water as long as I would have liked, but it was already something.

My skin itches less now.

I should set aside specific days during the week for this — maybe in the evening, so I can go to bed more relaxed.

But if I don’t feel like it in the evening, mornings will do too, even if I have less time to enjoy it.

It was an interesting morning at work.

I learned something new (you truly never stop learning!), and above all, a new colleague arrived.

He was hired as a driver, but when he’s not out, he’ll help the offices.

For now, they’ve placed him in R. 's office.

He’s from the south of Italy, just one year older than me, and he doesn’t have a family yet.

That was enough for M. and F. to immediately try to set us up.

They asked me if I liked him at the very moment I was thinking he wasn’t bad-looking, but I didn’t feel what I “should” have felt — I mean, there was no spark.

I shook his hand 🤝🏻 and noticed it was sweaty and sticky.

He was probably a bit nervous.

My immediate impulse was to wash mine.

I’m curious to see how he works and what kind of person he is.

He gave me the impression of being quite emotional — his expression was so focused it almost looked like he was sulking.

I didn’t leave any backlog today either, thankfully.

Tonight the Sanremo Festival 🎤 begins.

I’m not sure whether I’ll watch it or not — I haven’t followed it in years!