I lived in Milan, Italy years before coming to America to work as a registered nurse. It was a bittersweet moment. I have loved Italy in a very special way. Italians taught me how to love life. To pace and to enjoy each moment, a far cry from the life in America. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to compare two different cultures. But the beauty of living in both worlds has opened up my eyes from an entirely different perspective.
Italians love “the life”. They love to savor every moment of it. They love to spend time preparing food. They love enjoying each bite of Formaggio and pasta while sipping the newly opened bottle of wine. And having fun while sharing it with family and friends. Pranzo is not rushed in fact it is normal to have two hours of lunchtime. They can go back home to cook their pasta and eat lunch before going back to work. When they’re stressed out at work, they would go in a “bar” which is a normal COFFEE BAR where they could get a good cup of espresso and have a chitchat with their barista of what is going on.
Italians are family-oriented. They love their aging parents. In fact, most of the Italian men are “mamma’s boy” I would say. Not to blame these men, but it is an admirable trait because it turned out that they are also committed husbands. Most of them would not only call their parents but they would visit them all the time. Some would live with them, or some lived next door so they can oversee them. I love how they adore and love them and give importance to their existence. They don’t see it as a burden but they consider it a privilege to see their parents growing old and being taken care of by them.
To describe Italy as a beautiful country is an understatement. From the green mountains to the valley of vineyards to the spectacular coastline with picturesque villages rise up the cliffs from the sea, where you’ll find crystal clear beaches. Such perfection can set up a tone that Italy is not just a beautiful country. You could just imagine a life where you could just sip a good wine without drowning yourself with it but soaking up such beauty.
The Italian renaissance is much celebrated. It is considered a “rebirth” and was always used in connection with some intellectual or artistic skills. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Bellini, and many more. They inspired the “rebirth”. They have changed the history of Italian life during the 15th and 16th centuries, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to Modernity. A time of change, a time of hope and a time of rebirth.
At this time as my Italian family struggles with the modern crisis of pandemic, they have been pressed down harder they could have ever imagined. They almost lost their hope. They saw their “La Dolce Vita” crushed to pieces but they didn’t give up. They struggle but they fight back, day after day after day. My heart is broken for them, but I know they will survive. They lived to be victorious because they know they are ITALIANS. FORZA ITALIA! My prayers are always with you.
