Omar, Rennaissance Man

Omar & Lucia - Martin & Gianni in Background - Relationships Everywhere!

Omar was a very fun friend in Piegaro, and he had an added benefit of speaking a smattering of English!  When we met he was with a group of young men who had just come back to Cafe Via Roma after kicking around the soccer ball.  He was introduced to me as one who spoke English.  Immediately he said, "piccolo, piccolo."  Thus, began our weeks long struggle to actually communicate.  It was actually almost the end of my trip that Omar found out I could speak some Spanish, a better language for him than English.  Of course in my own special way that made things worse, as I began rattling off in a mixture of English, Spanish, poor Italian and lots of confusing slang from decades of watching movies.  (Even one of my friends in Seattle has asked for a translator for my slang-lish).   Poor Omar did not know what he got himself into when he agreed to translate.
Yet, Omar was more than willing and a very funny partner in crime at the Caffe as we muddled through topics from spirituality to art, from what he did for a living to translating feelings between people. And FUNNY, it was so great to laugh with Omar who repeatedly would put his arm around my shoulder, "piano, piano, ahhhh Lisa you talk too fast."  It was in these times I realized how much I wanted to communicate with all these people.
Omar shared my belief that spirituality is not something you need to travel to, but that is always where you are.  The spirit certainly moved in Piegaro, just as I've experienced in other travels.  As my time was winding down in Piegaro it was made clear to me that I neglected to ask the most important question of my new friends, "Where do you find Spirit and Beauty and think is a must for Spiritual Retreat."  Omar suggested Gubbio and because of a chain of circumstances, we were able to go the following day.  It held the beauty he spoke of, and some very special places that keep crying out as a siren's song for me to return.  The mountain path that is dotted with chapels that we didn't have the time to explore, the forests that begged to be hiked, the wonderful plazas that would have been lovely to relax in had I not been on my quest to seek and find in a short time, and if the rain hadn't started pouring.  Beautiful, beautiful.
Omar held a special place for me as well when I found out he was a brick/stone mason.  As we wondered these amazing centuries old villages the work that was needed to keep these special places kept up was very obvious, the difference between a ruin and a life-filled village.  A great metaphor for our spiritual lives - we need upkeep and maintenance to stay alive.  When he pointed to the pictures of one of my favorite villages as a place he had worked, I marveled, there was no indication in the brickwork of disruption in architecture or form that would call out a fix job had taken place.  Another great metaphor as I think that we are always essentially who we are created to be in the image of the great creator and as we constantly seek out the sacred, we are seeking our internal essence, our true selves.
I think folks wondered at why I gravitated toward Omar, and part of it was his amazing friendliness and his intentions that were so authentic.  Omar was Omar, he had friends and girlfriend and was always open to a new friendships.  Not trivial ones either, when he realized Colleen's son-in-law was a Magnum Photographer, he brought in his Magnum Book (no small task - it weighed over 10 lbs) to share with Colleen and the others at the Caffe, he naturally makes connections.
My biggest regret of meeting Omar is that I did not visit the one place near Piegaro he listed as a favorite spiritual place, between lack of time and car I never made it to the sulfur springs, but I will, because I trust his spirit sense.  And someday I will follow through on this and other suggestions he made, because as he laughingly said "I cannot come to America, my name is Omar, I'm dark, and they will think I am a terrorist,"  I know Omar to be another saint on the journey!
My greatest questions for Omar is how he connects most deeply with family, people, spirit in the village, he told me a bit, but darn the language barriers.  The questions that I thought of that were so simple such as how do folks really eat here, the restaurants with the many courses can't be the norm, can they??  I love food and sacred experience of feast!  How much does it cost to live in a village such as Piegaro, would a crazy American REALLY be welcome to live in a place like this???  What did the townfolk really think of an American woman pastor??

Omar - Art Lover - Heritage Keeper - Crazy Translator - Amica