A couple of years ago I was visiting a friend in Timisoara, Romania. My friend was taking me around so I could get a taste of what life was like in a country emerging from forty years of socialism. As someone who grew up in the USA, I was eager to learn what it was like to be Romanian.

After seeing the city, we traveled to a small farming town; the town had no more than a few dozen old houses, dirt roads, geese and turkeys walking around…

I noticed an old lady sitting in her window, watching the world and talking with neighbors who happened by. She was quite old, wearing what I would consider to be typical Eastern European clothing. I realized that she represented everything that I admired about Romania; a uniquely beautiful country with strong people; people who had endured centuries of conflict, oppression and poverty. She was old enough to have lived through a world war, seen the promise, hardship and eventual failure of a socialist state, the recent struggle to reshape a country yet one more time. All of those experiences were present in her face; yet she was beautiful…her face radiated with a strength I may never know.

I had my friend explain that I was an American tourist and would very much like to take her photograph. I naively expected her to refuse; instead, she blushed! She carefully arranged her dress, pushed the strands of her gray hair beneath her scarf, and smiled.

I lived in Germany for six years, traveled throughout Europe and had many great experiences. But one of my most treasured moments was a gift that a beautiful Romanian woman gave me…the favor of a smile…and the instant recognition of the glory of her life.

Timisoara, Romania

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