ITALY
& ME
-
by Teresa Neumann
People
often ask me what it is I love so much about Italy and why I give “a nod to it”
in the books I write.
The
short answer is the people!!
I’ve
said this many times: You could leave all the spectacular architecture in
Italy, its stunning artwork, ancient history, incredible scenery, mouth watering
cuisine, flair for fashion, its spine-tingling operas and all its laid-back
culture, but if you removed Italians from Italy, it would cease to be Italy.
In
other words, for everything Italy has to offer – and it has a mind-boggling
abundance -- it is the temperament and character of its people that is most
endearing. Most charming. Most addictive. They’re a vivacious lot.
Self-confident. Smart and sassy. Simple, yet flamboyant. They’re also
old-fashioned in an Old-World way that makes one long to be a part. They are
what make Italy, Italy. Consider the character of actor Roberto Benigni in the
award winning film, Life is Beautiful. The theme – the gift of life is what you
make of it, so it might as well be fun, good, and beautiful regardless of your
circumstances – is a pretty typical Italian philosophy in a nutshell.
Not
all Italians operate under this ideology, of course. Some of them are dark and
mysterious introverts and they have their fair share of hand-wringers and
complainers. But there’s enough of the “What’s the rush and the worry? Stop and
drink some wine and enjoy the day” mentality going around to give the Life is
Beautiful outlook credence.
One
need only explore a European airport to experience an example of how unique
Italy is among its peers. Whether it’s a transportation hub in Paris,
Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Vienna, the public is orderly and quiet, moving along
briskly with a singleness of purpose and unspoken demand for privacy. Head’s
down. March, march. Please. Thank you. Hello. Good-bye.
But
approach a gate serving a destination in Italy and you’ll hear the excitement
before you see it: laughter, jabbering, babbling, singing – like little waves
breaking on an ocean beach before the storm hits. Suddenly you’re in delicious
chaos, surrounded by doting mama’s and papa’s, uber-friendly nona’s and nono’s,
beautiful stylish girls and drop-dead handsome men waving their hands, smiling,
kissing each other’s cheeks and – wonders of wonders -- making direct
eye-contact with you. It’s exhilarating, refreshing, and oh-so-Italian.
It’s
exactly why I love featuring at least one Italian character in my books.
Someone vibrant, engaging, and electrifying. Someone who’s unashamed to live
with their parents, or kiss their grandparents in public, or laugh for the
sheer joy of it, or cry because it’s okay to. Even if they are only a minor
character, an Italian adds flavor to a story just as various spices add their
own unique zest to food.
Don’t
get me wrong. I’m not saying Italians are perfect. Not by a long shot. But they
sure are fun. And beautiful. I should know, because I’m married to one ;-)
It’s
how Bianca’s Vineyard came to be.
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