Epitaph

What home awaits the substance that gives life to my body, once freed from the laws that keep it enslaved among human beings?  

- Seneca -

This evening I thought about what to write on the tombstone after my passing, my ideal epitaph. For goodness sake, no rush, but better get your hands on things.

The material custody of the Aimless Traveler, a pilgrim soul since time immemorial on this Earth, has disappeared from the affection of its Rivers and Mountains. The wild boars, the stones and all the trees give the happy announcement. Not plastic flowers, but a thousand joyful springs..... then are we sure that he has passed away? ... no, maybe it's just a way of saying that he merged with them!

"... the soul, oppressed by a heavy burden, wishes to free itself from it and return to those elements of which it had been an integral part. In fact, this body is a burden and a pain for the soul. While the body oppresses it, the The soul is cornered, it finds itself in chains, if philosophy has not appeared and invited it to catch its breath in the face of the spectacle of nature and has distracted it from earthly reality by turning it towards the divine. [...] Thus the The soul, closed in that squalid and dark abode, takes itself, whenever it can, to the open air and finds rest in the contemplation of nature. The wise man and those who aspire to wisdom are certainly attached to their own body, but they are far away from the best part of themselves and direct their thoughts to sublime spheres [...] they tolerate the mortal condition, although they know that there is one with much broader perspectives.

I am too big and born for a much higher reality to be a slave to my body. In this enslaved abode lives a free soul. Never will this flesh lead me to fear, never to simulation, never will I lie to pay homage to this body, we will no longer be equal partners: the soul will arrogate every right to itself."

- Seneca,  Moral letters to Lucilius -

In the photo, a beautiful overview of Mount Ragola seen from Mount Orocco. Mount Ragola is located between the Piacenza and Parma Apennines, united by the Zovallo pass. This is the Parma side, which overlooks the Ceno Valley. A very beautiful area for nature and hiking lovers, a wild and sparsely inhabited area, indeed almost not at all, with interesting peaks such as Mount Tomarlo, Maggiorasca, Aiona and Penna.

Mount Orocco, from which this image was taken, is a magnificent natural balcony located between Val Ceno and Val Taro. It can be reached via an easy, panoramic path that starts from the Table pass, a few kilometers after the village of Alpe going up from Val Taro, or coming from Liguria, having reached the Chiodo pass, at the foot of Mount Penna, continue towards Alpe, the Passo della Table is located a few minutes after passing the Monte Penna refuge. The hike is very simple and takes about forty minutes from the pass to the top, the return is along the same path. Excellent point for photographing the sunrise or sunset over the surrounding valleys, easy even in snow and if weather conditions permit, you can also see the Ligurian sea.