Who was that?

She's talking about the nightclub in Florence. Dancing on speakers, shots of schnapps, being overly tired. Laughing while she's talking almost slurring her words as if she's still intoxicated, but not. Then she starts talking about the Pope. The camera pans and you can see the Vatican and a big window with a flag draped under it. People everywhere sitting at tables waiting for the Pope to make an appearance and bless the crowd with his service. She giggles some more as she talks about sitting in Rome waiting to see the Pope.

Her hair is gently weaved into french braid pigtails. Her t-shirt, a blue ringer with Rainbow Brite on it, fitting not one stereotypical thing about her. When in Rome... doesn't apply to her. The bright blue eyes shining in the sun without a hint of a hangover gleam with excitement and love. Her shotty mascara job making her eyelashes ten time longer. Freckles dot her face so innocently and more seem to appear the longer she talks with the rays of the sun.

She's not talking to anyone in particular as her friend talks to her through the camera. She can't seem to stop talking as she rambles on and on. Then a hush takes over the crowd and the camera pans again to see the Pope at the window. It's quiet in front of the camera and you can faintly hear the beautiful Italian floating through the air from the Pope as he addresses the crowd. For a brief minute she's mesmerized.

Then the talking continues. The camera pans back to the girl. She's grinning ear to ear. Not overly religious but definitely sentimental you can tell she's thinking. Maybe she's thinking of the last time she was in Rome with her grandparents a few years ago. Maybe she's thinking of her last trip to Italy. The time when her stuffed dog, the one she took everywhere and slept with every night even at the age of 18 (and still at 22), got left behind accidentally in Milan. How she cried the entire flight home and how after many confusing phone calls between her non Italian speaking mom and an Italian hotel her stuffed dog flew back across the Atlantic back home. She could be thinking about that memory and smiling fondly.

Her mood changes and her happy smile turns a bit melancholy. Maybe now she's thinking of her stuffed dog and her mother. Maybe now she realizes she hasn't seen her mother in a while and misses her terribly. But her smile doesn't stop. She's thinking and smiling. The camera zooms and you can see this young girl so full of life. Not one bag under her eye. Not one heavy burden on her shoulders.

The blonde streaks in her hair glisten in the sun and for a second you lose the image because of the glare. She is back on the camera looking up at the Pope still speaking. She is taking it all in and doesn't want to forget one second of this experience. The camera abruptly cuts out and then goes to an Italian flag. I paused the clip.

My daughter looked at me watching the video on the computer screen and asks, mommy who was that? Was that you?