La Bella Vita

“Happiness is like a butterfly. 

If we chase it, it will fly away, 
If we let it be, 

It will come to us.”

-Elena Brower

In Love With Scooters

“Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.”

-Captain Jack Sparrow

I often speak of the simple beauty of Rome. The magic that surrounds this city. With every step taken on a cobblestone road, and every ancient landmark passed on the way to work, the atmosphere is simply enchanting.

One of my deepest desires, and wishes has been to ride around Rome, touring the city on a motorbike. When I was in Reggio, all my friends and I dreamed of riding a vespa. It’s a fear of mine, but as they say... 

“When in Rome.”   

I love the idea of touring Rome in the open air, 
with the wind in my face (despite realizing I will have major helmet head). I never thought I would get the chance to ride on a scooter through Rome, but yesterday,
 I crossed this wish off my bucket list!

Making a bucket list helped me realize the importance of adventure. Of facing your fears and diving head first into a world of unknown things and territories.

Helen Keller said it best, that
“Life is either a great adventure or nothing”.

I choose a great adventure.

So in the city with horrible, horrible drivers, a lack of respect for the rules of the road,  little cars, angry Romans, and scooters flying in and out of every corner of the city, I chose to hop on the back of a motorbike and conquer a fear.

Safe? That is yet to be determined.

The bike looked a little something like this:

The driver looked similar to this:

I might have seen death flash before my eyes, but, it was all worth it.  A tour around ancient Rome on the back of a scooter driven my own personal Jack Sparrow, I'll take it. 
A simple beauty driving around Ancient Rome, a simple treasure I will cherish.

In Perfect Time

“The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.”

These past two nights, I have had the most vivid and beautiful dreams; filled with people who have affected my life in such a way that just the thought of them warms my heart. I love that feeling, described in the quote above, where I am slowly awakening from my slumber, but my dream is so vivid and real. I believe I could reach out and touch those in my dream. But, they are so delicate, I’m afraid a touch will make them vanish.

Someone once told me a dream is a wish your heart makes.

If that is true, then my heart is wishing for the same thing every night.

When reality sets in, and I realize that beautiful music in the background of my dream is really the annoying “ping” of my alarm clock, I dread opening my eyes. 

But, I know that night after night, I will continue to dream, and my heart will continue to wish, and in all perfect timing, those wishes will come true. And I will no longer have to dream. <3

Due

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do. 

So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. 

Catch the trade winds in your sails. 

Explore. 

Dream. 

Discover.”

Two girls, from two completely different countries, time zones...basically, two completely different worlds. But together, they have formed a common a bond; spreading their wings out to fly solo, amongst strangers, all while trying to figure out what direction their life should and will take them next.

There is no better place, to relax from a long day and think about their future, then along the sandy beaches of Ostia, Italy. Watching the sun set over the Mediterranean, they watch the day light colors of white and blue fade into long ribbons of purple and pink, all while sipping on a quite memorable wine and laughing at the creepy Italian men as they pass by.

Two girls.

Two Au Pairs.

Two friends <3 

We don't have it all together; we have faults and fears, and every day stresses, but, somehow, lying on that towel, feeling the breeze in our face and the sound of the ocean reaching the beach, we realize everything will be ok. 

And for a moment, life is picture perfect.

The Beauty of Italian

Part of my studying today consists of translating a poem from Danielle Steel's novel 'Batte il Cuore' which from what I understand, translates to mean heartbeats. The beauty of this poem is not hard to understand; whether in English, or in Italian...but I gave you both versions - just in case!

Batte il Cuore

Con il suo ritmo e il ticchettio,

chiedendosi che cosa sta facendo,

innocente, dolcissimo, dolci sogni,

battito del cuore

musica cara alle mier orrecchie

una mano da stringere per placare i miei timori

passi amarosi nella notte,

speranze custodite gelosamente

che splendono per sempre,

fulgidissimo amore dono del Cielo,

tenerissima, dolcissima ninnananna

miracolo di piccoli piedi,

scaturito da un unico,

inestimabile battito

che canta una dolcissima canzoncina,

il mio cuore al tuo apparterra sempre,

questo legame definitivo questo vincolo cosi sicuro,

nato del nostro amore, cosi forte e puro,

ora sussurra gentilmente

mentre il piccolo dorme,

il nostro amore sempre vivra`

e mentre la magica 

polvere di stelle si disperde nell’aria,

il mio cuore e per sempre,

in eterno, tuo.

Heartbeats

With its rhythm and the ticking,

wondering, what is it doing,

innocent, sweetness, sweet dreams,

heartbeats

music dear to my ears

a hand to hold to calm my fears

past loves in the night

hopes to treasure

that they shine forever

great love 

a gift from Heaven

tenderness, sweet lullaby

the miracle of small feet

rising from one unique,

priceless heartbeat,

that sings a sweet song,

my heart belongs to yours always

this definite link

this bond so true

born for our love

so strong and pure,

now it whispers kindly while the little one sleeps,

our love will live on forever 

and while the magic of stardust bursts in the air,

my heart is forever,in eternity, yours.

With words as beautiful as this, it is hard for me to not want to speak Italian all day, every day. So as I set a goal to study and learn more and more each day, take the time today to focus on something you want, and set aside time to make it happen. Feel inspired. <3

The Eternal City

“All roads indeed lead to Rome, but theirs also is a more mystical destination, some bourne of which no traveller knows the name,

 some city, they all seem to hint, even more eternal.” - Richard Le Gallienne

Rome, Italy - the ‘Eternal City’. Where ancient relics, ghostly hauntings of Emperor’s and Popes, and modern technology collide. Where any given day you can walk by the Colosseo and think nothing of it, or, you can run a race around Circo Massimo because it only makes sense. 

I don’t know if there is any place on earth quite as magical as this city;  to me, it seems everywhere you go, everywhere you look, there is a story - a deep, meaningful history to every building, every painting, every piazza. 

Simply enchanting. Simply breathtaking.

Sunday morning, we took a trip into Rome to view some of the artwork by the famous painter, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (or simply, Caravaggio).

Caravaggio was an Italian artist who’s work has become some of the most talked-about and influential art in the world. He was commissioned by the Pope during the Counter-Reformation.

I won’t lie, it’s hard for me to truly have a deep appreciation for art, since I have no clear understanding of the work and symbolism involved.

BUT, Caravaggio was controversial. And that, I love.

His work was controversial as his depictions of Saints strongly differed from any artist at that time. For example, his depiction of Mary wearing a red cloak. To us, nothing is unordinary about that, but at that time red was the color of sex; prostitution, promiscuous activity, etc. 

And who doesn’t love controversy about sex and the church, right??

Below is Caravaggio's Madonna of the Pilgrims, made between 1603 and 1606. Displayed in the Church of St. Augustine, a stone’s throw away from Piazza Navona. One of Carvaggio’s most controversial as Mary is depicted barefoot and in a red cloak.

The Calling of St. Matthew and The Inspiration of St. Matthew. Both of these painting hang in San Luigi dei Francesi. And finally, The Martyrdom of St. Matthew, 

also hanging in San Luigi dei Francesi.

I Found Everlasting Love...Right Under My Nose

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.  ~George Eliot

Truth be told, I think you would have a hard time finding anyone in this world who doesn’t crave everlasting love; the timeless kind of love you see in the movies, read about in Danielle Steel novels, or imagine when your favorite love song plays on your Ipod. 

Who actually knows if this perfect love exists. Many relationships and marriages fail, over and over again, no matter how indestructible they seem to those on the outside.

Since I’m so young, without much experience in the "true love" department, I’m a rookie on this subject, but what I have come to determine is everlasting love doesn’t just come from a romantic or intimate point of view, but that everlasting love does exist in our families.

When I think of this type of love, I am immediately warmed as I realize no matter where I am, where I go, or what I do, I have the everlasting love of my family. 

This upcoming week, my parents will celebrate 29 years of marriage. 29 years of memories, both good and bad, trials and tribulations, friendships, celebrations, ups and downs, life, death, happiness, sadness, two children (o dio). The list goes on and on... 

Growing up, I remember trying to find my independence from my family at an early age. I wanted to explore the world, and leave mom and dad at home. I was too immature, too simple-minded to understand the importance of a family. A support-system.

Now, I appreciate their love and devotion to me more than anything; I realize just how beneficial family is. For me, it has been a never-ending story filled with constant love, support and everything in between. I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments, disappointing moments, and moments I know I hurt my family. But through it all, they never stopped loving me, or teaching me how to grow.

I am the young woman I am today because of what my mom and dad, uncle, aunt, grandparents, cousins, etc. taught me, showed me, and inspired me to be. 

I’m still growing, learning, making mistakes, getting parking tickets, the like, but, I am keeping with me all of the values and morals they instilled in me, and I know I am growing stronger (and, maybe wiser) every day.

Although I’m living several thousand miles away, in a different time zone, there isn’t a day that goes by I’m not thinking about my family and how much they mean to me. I don’t have to search for everlasting love...my family has proven to me their love is everlasting, and with that in mind, I can climb mountains.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad, I love you with all my heart and thank God every day for blessing me with your everlasting love.

Ti voglio bene.

Sense of Urgency

"So from now on when you think of me, 

just remember that I could have been the best thing you ever had."

Outside of my window, the sun is sending it’s warmth into my bedroom. Somehow, there is a cool breeze today. Quite a relief since I feel like I’m going through the early-stages of menopause!

As I lay in my room, taking in the last few minutes of my siesta, I’m filled with a sense of urgency.

An urgency to do so many things. 

• Learn this language.
• Go on an adventure.
• Fold my laundry....obviously that will wait

This morning, I Skyped with one of my dearest friends back home in DuBois. We were, like usual, complaining about the complexity of the male species. No matter how detailed our conversations get, or how much advice we offer one another, we always seem to come to the same conclusion: men are stupid (ok that's a BIT harsh).

In her case, she has been holding back from expressing herself to someone she has been eyeing up for several months now. No matter what attempts she makes, he seems completely clueless to her feelings. 

As I’m listening to her, trying to relate my experiences to her situation, I came to this sensation, this feeling of urgency; the desire to stop resisting, stop holding back, and begin taking charge. 

I told her she needed to find this sense of urgency I had discovered, and take the “bull-by-the-horns” and go after what she wants.

I said she had to make it known to this person-of-interest how she really feels. In my mind, if she doesn’t at least open up and allow him to know how she feels, she will never know what “might have been.”

My past experiences, past and present relationships, and the like, all could have benefitted from my this advice...my own advice I’m giving to my friend! 

Hopefully, she considers my words, and realizes the sense of urgency in this situation.

This "epiphany" I had this morning helped me draw a conclusion about this complicated world. In order to get what you want in life, you CAN'T sit back and just wish for it, you need to stand up, go out into the world, and get what you want, desire, and deserve the most.

This notion doesn’t just apply to ventures towards the opposite-sex (or same-sex for that matter), it applies to life in general. 

Find urgency within you to accomplish what you want most in life, 

for we only have one life to live.

No regrets.

The Essence of Play

"The Essence of childhood, of course, is play, which my friends and I did endlessly on streets

 that we reluctantly shared with traffic." - Bill Cosby

A room full of toys; stuffed animals, barbies, coloring books. You name it, Bea has it all, somewhere. Toys and gizmos that would most definitely keep a child happy and occupied without a care in the world for days and days.

But I’ve come to realize it’s not the number of toys she has, it’s her imagination that is important. A gift from God that we must never lose - no matter how old and “responsible” we become.

Yesterday, after lunch, I sat at the kitchen table with Bea and watched her create Il Lago di Pasta, or, Lake Pasta. A simple kitchen bowl filled with Winnie the Pooh pasta, water, and Hello Kitty toys. 

Sounds simplistic, as it was, but as I watched her intently, I could almost see the gears in her head turning; she was developing a masterpiece and her imagination was taking her to far off places.  

For a good hour Bea’s creativity soared through the roof and I couldn’t help but smile. The energy surrounding her and her happiness at the simplest task was contagious.

It was then I realized the utmost importance of play. I recall craving long, hot summer afternoons at “Castle Park” with my mom and brother, or running my “Wolf Den” restaurant in the basement of my house. I could be anyone and anything I wanted to be, with a few toys and my imagination, I ran the world and 

accomplished all my dreams.

Through play and imagination we develop our sense of self - what we want to be when we “grow-up”.

If we can make our imaginations become realities at the age of 4, why now, when we are older, can’t we do the same?

I believe we can.

By watching Bea I realize I can let my imagination soar and I can accomplish anything I want. 

A little imagination, a pinch of creativity, and a towel to clean up the mess and we all can find our joys, even if they are as simple as Lake Pasta.