Magical Rome parte uno. The road there and back.

It's 9:30am in Rome which would be great if I was there but I am not. I am back in the comforts of my home in Los Angeles, it's 1:30am and I am wide awake. After what it took to get here I am just glad to be here! I had to endure three flights and alot of waiting at the Rome, Madrid, and JFK airports/stops and received an unexpected test of faith en route from JFK to Los Angeles. I was exhausted and coming down from the high of all the beauty my eyes witnessed while in Rome so all I wanted was my bed...a shower and my bed. When I saw the stewardness pull back the curtain although we weren't close to landing I knew. Why you ask? Well simply because this is the second time this happens to me this year. When I went to NY in April to shoot with GLAMOUR it happened on my way back, emergency landing. After she pulled back the curtain on comes the captain letting us know there is a leak in the oil and we are loosing gas so we must stop in Denver and see where to go from there. Seriously? I was going on two days of traveling but I had to admit to myself what I know deep down inside. I am never in control of things like this and surrendering control is the only way to live through something like this.

While we descended I smiled because I thought Brian McKnight is on this flight so we can't go down and then I thought wait it would be a headline for sure. I seriously did! Then I started to take deep breathes and release all thoughts of fear. I breathed in love and breathed out fear. I thought I've lived a good blessed life and if God wants me home then I have to go home there is nothing I can do in this moment other than breathe. Sadly I also think of Zoey in these moments because I so don't want her to loose me like she lost her mom but it is in those moments that I realize I can't keep her from her journey. The twenty minutes into the Denver airport felt like an eternity and the landing wasn't very smooth due to the fact that it was snowing there but I was glad to be safe. All I kept hearing while fear tried to take over was "you will make it home safely." Then my mind questioned which one? The one in infinity and beyond or the one in LA? Talk about practicing letting Go and letting God!

I have to add that en route to Rome I endured horrible turbulence but being that one of my brothers is a pilot, he flies his own jet not commercial, I have learned that the only true danger in turbulence is in landing so I manage to mantain rather calm as we were thrown from side to side and down. Sadly the poor girl in front of me couldn't and cried for about two hours as the crew consoled her. I thought to myself it truly is amazing what the mind/fear can do and as you can see held my own battle with it on my return. I have to say to my blog ladies that not only did I picture my grandfather, whose no longer here, in the cockpit, God surrounding the plane with its love and light but also all of you whose words have meant so much to me since we've met on here, there too. Sending me your love and light just like you do in your emails. All these thoughts help me endure moments of fear and yet again I grew in faith and trust! Once more realized how precious each second is! My body is in absolute pain and a massage would be wonderful but most of all it's here, alive and ready to create even more beautiful realities! I just realized while looking at my quote of the day calendar that today I am a month shy of my 33rd birthday! You bet I will be celebrating my earned wrinkles, if I spot any, in immmense gratitude!

I was blessed on my flights to have discovered this as I listened to the on flight spa/calm sounds cd. It will forver remind me of my journey to and from Rome. All I could think of was I deserve to give and receive unconditonal love to another soul please let me live to see the day!

As I listened to her beautiful haunting voice and conversed with God tears ran down my eyes because of what my eyes were looking out at and in that very moment I knew no matter what I'd be alright. Here on earth or in God's arms I knew I'd be alright!


I can't do the Rome experience justice with words. Or UNICEF for that matter. Rome holds so much meaning because of the journey that led me there.
So as I took it all in like I've said before all I could think of was how grateful I am to God and the universe for guiding me to and through this and for all the people they sent my way to test my courage or facilitate my journey. They know who they are. There will be several blogs, hence the parte uno in the title, because Rome deserves it. For now I will try to go to bed and leave you with some highlights. This picture is one of my favorites and I took over 800! I need to capture nature in my shots. I just do! So here are nature and sculptures together making for one BEAUTIFUL shot at the San Popolo Piazza steps from our apartment in Rome. It speaks for itself! Look at that sky!!!



Now here are some behind the scenes video. The first one is me with Paulo at the after party in Trastevere as well as hanging with my friends at an after after party. ;-)

This one is a behind the scenes look at the red carpet. My friend Bev shot this and her arrival was another miracle. While en route to Rome two of her planes had mechanical problems so they couldn't leave the airports. She got to Rome less then two hours before the premiere. I was so GRATEFUL because these moments mean so much more when someone who has watched you endure your journey sees the beauty that the endurance brought to life! Oh and at 7:32 Paulo spots me after not seeing eachother for a year. ;-)

You can't compare the two events which presided over my last two weeks. You just can't but I have a feeling the UNICEF badge you see below, next to my Rome Film Festival Badge, will be worn with a lot of honor and gratitude in the coming months for being allowed the privilege of being of service to an organization I have looked up to for years. The journey continues and for that I have God and the universe to thank!