Your story reinforces your photograph. It is intriguing how a photo can become far more powerful when an emotional investment is involved. At first I thought this was just a photo of a dog on a porch but now I feel your heart tremoring. Simply beautiful.
You are lucky to live near to Italy and Venice and go to this annual Photogarphers' Paradise Event ! ( I bet it is still very expensive to have a coffee in a Cafe on St Mark's Square !! )