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You are here: Home / Body / View from the Acropolis

View from the Acropolis

Evelyn Herwitz · September 10, 2019 · 3 Comments

Two days ago, I awoke at five to the sound of roosters crowing. It was our last day of vacation in Greece, at our last destination, the isle of Hydra (the ‘h’ is silent), and time to finish packing before our early morning ferry back to Athens. We had made a grand tour over two weeks, starting in the nation’s capital, then on to the island of Crete, then north to Thessaloniki, back down the peninsula to Delphi, landing on this Aegean jewel for our final weekend.

Neither Al nor I had ever been to Greece. I’d always wanted to see the Parthenon, the ruins of the ancient temple to the goddess Athena, atop the Acropolis of Athens. More than that, though, now seemed the appropriate time to visit the birthplace of democracy. With so much at stake here and abroad, I needed perspective and inspiration.

We found both. As one of our tour guides explained, democracy only succeeds when everyone participates. When citizens choose not to vote, not to be invested in the business of government, that is when demagogues step in to fill the vacuum. In fact, the ancient Greeks had a word for people who preferred not to be involved in public affairs: the transliteration is idiotes, which is the etymological root of idiot.

Make of that what you will. For me, walking through ancient ruins, contemplating the great civilizations that have come and gone, it became clear as the crystal turquoise waters of this stunningly beautiful country that we can’t take anything for granted. It’s up to each and every one of us to ensure that our democracy survives and thrives in these very challenging times.

Here are a few of my favorite images from our travels. Enjoy.

Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.

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Filed Under: Body, Hearing, Mind, Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch Tagged With: mindfulness, resilience, travel, vacation

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patricia Osten says

    September 10, 2019 at 10:02 am

    Thank you for a beautiful start to my day! I have a busy “to do” list in front of me, mostly having do with medical appointments or purchases that will (hopefully) help with things like putting on jewelry and managing peripheral numbness that is still present a year after lumbar fusion surgery.
    Reading about your journey and seeing these images has brightened my outlook for today.

    Reply
    • Evelyn Herwitz says

      September 10, 2019 at 10:35 am

      I’m so glad this gave you a boost, Patricia! Good luck with your appointments and managing the numbness. I’m sure it’s frustrating, at the very least. Have a good day. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Patricia Lynn Bizzell says

    September 10, 2019 at 11:12 am

    Loved the beautiful photos, Evie, especially that dramatic sunset shot on the Acropolis1 I’m so glad you had a great trip with minimal medical complications.

    Reply

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About the Writer

When not writing about living fully with chronic health challenges, Evelyn Herwitz helps her marketing clients tell great stories about their good works. She would love to win a MacArthur grant and write fiction all day. Read More…

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I am not a doctor . . .

. . . and don’t play one on TV. While I strive for accuracy based on my 40-plus years of living with scleroderma, none of what I write should be taken as medical advice for your specific condition.

Scleroderma manifests uniquely in each individual. Please seek expert medical care. You’ll find websites with links to medical professionals in Resources.

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