Stairway To The Universe

My music producer lives in L’Aquila, Italy, as do his brother and his brother’s wife.

This is the epicenter for the earthquake that two weeks ago took scores of lives and made thousands homeless in seconds.

We had a meeting today, even though he has been without a home for two weeks. Life still has to move forward for him.

Leo told me that on the night of the earthquake, a little while before the Big Quake, his brother and wife felt a few minor tremors and decided it was worth their while to sleep close to the security of the front door at the top of the staircase, and not back in their bedroom.

When the Quake hit at 11 p.m. that night, they were just steps away from the staircase. They had just made their way onto it when the entire house around them fell away.

The only things left standing in the rubble were the staircase and the front door. Had they not made the choice to sleep at the top of the stairs, they would have been climbing stairs in another direction for them now.

Just a stunning story to consider.

Leo climbs into his car, the only possession he has now, and drives off to go back up the hill to see to his family who are all living in blue Red Cross tents.

It makes you stop to think how lucky we are.