Our youngest daughter spent a semester at The University of Florence in Italy a few years ago so Carol and I took the opportunity to visit her for a few days. I had not been back to Florence in 30 years and was looking forward to seeing it through my daughter’s eyes this time. One day while she and Carol headed out to shop Haley encouraged me to visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and then sit in the piazza reading. It was early and the stone interior was still cold but the morning light streaming through the windows and the virtual absence of any visitors made it my private chapel for at least a few minutes. Centuries of Florentine families were buried in the floor and the walls. Every square inch was given over to providing tombs for the wealthy powerful and respected families of the Renaissance.

As I stood back to get the full view of the sun coming through the stained glass at the front of the basilica I glanced over to my left and noticed the tomb of Galileo and then over to my right I saw the tomb of Michelangelo. Next to that was the tomb of Dante and further down the tomb of Machiavelli. I had a moment of being stunned by the concentration of genius represented in this one small space and that was followed by a laugh. “How much of our lives we spend promoting ourselves and our small accomplishments!”

What a relief to stand in the presence of such incomparable talent that makes competition and self-promotion meaningless and to be grateful to God for a small glimpse into what He has prepared for all of us when we finally become what He created us to be.

We all need a little perspective now and then and I hope yours will come with a laugh attached.