It's 25 degrees outside, the trees are in full bloom, the birds are chirping, and a strong scent of barbecue can be smelt throughout the neighbourhood. It's a national holiday here in Italy.
And it's clear we've entered the season of summer earlier this year. Yet there isn't a single soul in sight.
I can't believe it's already been six weeks since isolation began.
Time has flown by, and the seasons are changing, but while mother nature moves on, we continue to remain in lockdown. I'm starting to wonder if this is what summer is going to look like for all of us.
This week's cover image is another shot from summer 2018. A period when time felt endless, and my friends and I felt invincible. Staring out to sea on some Greek island in the middle of the Mediterranean, nothing could touch me. I miss that type of liberty.
Freedom is a funny thing. It can come in so many forms.
This week, I had a taste of freedom. Tuesday evening was officially two weeks since my arrival in Italy. As I opened my bedroom door and descended to the living room, my father literally popped a bottle of prosecco. Of course, getting out made me happy. But I think my family needed this more than I did.
Now locked down for eight weeks, they desperately needed a reason to celebrate. And god did giving them a hug feel good.
Sometimes going on holiday, getting away from work and our busy lives can feel liberating. Sometimes eating a piece of chocolate cake over a piece of fruit can feel liberating. But this week, I discovered that the biggest freedom we have in life is the choices we are given.
When those choices are stripped away, that's when we feel robbed of our freedom. And no, it's not things like what university to go to, or what job offer to accept, or even which car to buy. It's the day-to-day, little things that end up mattering.
Cooking a new recipe over the same old boring meal, watching a movie with your family rather than alone in your room, or taking a walk in the fresh air rather than using your elliptical machine. If you can make those choices, choose right. Because as soon as that decision is made for you - you won't like it.
This is going to sound very preach-y, but the pandemic has made me so much more grateful for the little things in life. And while I, like so many Italians, am still clinging on to the hope of a good summer holiday, I am going to make the most of time here at home.
So here's to another week of experimenting in the kitchen, sun-bathing, and online exercise videos.
Make your own freedom.