THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN TALKING to an Italian man, he gave me a ring. When I tried to give it back, he would not accept. He said something to the effect of “You only live once”, “You must talk to people,” “You must get to know people”. What the man said on that day remains with me. A few times here our instructors have urged us to savor the moment. Too often we get caught up in the hype. Too often we get caught up in the tomorrows, and forget to enjoy today. While it seems important to savor the moment, we must all keep our eye on the prize. For many of us, our experience here in Cagli signifies many things, but to all of us this project symbolizes a certain freedom.
      One of the most important lessons I’ve learned so far is that the quest to communicate begins with me. When I am not tuned in to what I am feeling, what is important, and what is noteworthy, it becomes difficult to convey that to others. Each day I think I’m learning to be more observant, and to take note of the small things.

--Christopher Nelson
(Loyola)