The best moments in life frequently occur when we lose all track of time. Instagram, the social media photo phenomenon, helps us keep stylish track of these experiences. Rozann Carter, having recently returned from the "Eternal City," reflects on these photoframed glimpses of heaven and what they have to say about the the real "eternal" city.
Rome is known as the Eternal City. The adage originated from an imperialistic assumption that this axis of scientific, societal, militaristic, and artistic achievement would never crumble, that it would be the center of the world for as long as the world existed. Tibullus, Ovid, Virgil, and other heavyweight ancient poets—trusted, almost prophetic voices in the ancient world— all referred to the city in so many words.
We all know the end of that story. Rome fell. The Eternal City eventually took its place among other temporal civilizations, one in a long line of collapsed, sacked, shells-of-their-former-glory cities of men. Eternal? Um. Oops.
However, that classification, from what I have experienced, still rings true in a different way. Rome is “eternal” alright,” but in the paradoxical, snapshot sort of way that characterizes all of the most ethereal moments in life. To explain this is to talk around what eternal really means.