Happy New Year to all! And a belated Merry Christmas! This past week has been a busy one, and I'm still cattywampus with my schedule. I missed my blog on Tuesday because I was out of town, so I decided to do it today on New Years Eve.
Here is an update: my grandpa is feeling much better and was sent home in the middle of last week. That was quite a relief! Thank you to everyone who had him (and us) in your thoughts and prayers. It is greatly appreciated.
As the new year is quickly approaching, I am reflecting on the past year (and my whole life). I know that I have touched in previous blogs about how I feel very blessed and lucky to be me. I am grateful for my blessings, and believe it or not, I am also grateful for my hardships. While I am experience something difficult, I try to remember that enduring hard times can be the greatest learning experiences. It is not easy to remember this in the moment, but I hope to be able to do that more often in the future.
I am a person who likes New Years Resolutions. I like to do ones that are attainable. I learned some time ago to set up smaller goals so that when I reach them I will feel proud of myself. To be completely honest, I can't even remember my resolution from this year. I think my New Years Resolution for 2012 is to learn how to handle stress a little better. I don't think I am a stressful person, but when stress comes my way, I sometimes feel overwhelmed. Maybe I will join a Yoga class? Maybe I will meditate? Who knows?
A few days ago, I was thinking about a trip I had in Italy with my husband in October 2010. We were attending a wedding of my cousin who lives there and it was a trip and an experience of a LIFETIME! I learned some Italian before we went, and I have many wonderful memories. I was thinking of one in particular last week, and it always brings me a warm feeling. I will share it with you now:
It was the second to our last night in Italy, and my husband and I were out to dinner with our relatives. I have two cousins who speak English, and they were angels! They were translating for us the whole time, and I did my best with the little Italian I knew. After dinner was done, my cousins husband gave us a ride home. He spoke Italian and knew just a little English, and with my little Italian, we were able to communicate just fine. By that time, we had been around the Italian language so much that the language barrier for the ten minute ride to our hotel was not uncomfortable. This was because we were treated so well and with such kindness. On the ride, the greatest thing happened. He and I were able to communicate! My Italian had grown and it was a wonderful feeling. At one point, he asked my husband a question, and they were waiting for me to translate. Well, I didn't understand what he asked, and I laughed and said, "Come si dice 'I don't know?' in Italiano?" ("How do you say, 'I don't know?' in Italian?). We all laughed. I was sitting in the back seat, and my husband was sitting in the front. My cousins husband had a big smile on his face, looked over at my husband, took his hand, lifted it up and squeezed it. This was a special moment because we all knew that what he was saying to my husband was, "Hey man, it's all good." In America, men don't touch each other besides a handshake or a very hard hug with a slap on the back. A lot of times when I see this, I usually think to myslef, "Ouch!" I saw in Italy that men aren't as hesitant to show affection. I don't think I have ever seen an American man hold another man's hand in that way, yet it was still a masculine gesture of kindness. When this moment happened, I found it so touching that tears came to my eyes. It was such a quick moment, but also incredibly moving and memorable. They say a picture says a thousand words. This is a picture in my mind that says ten thousand words, and they all make me feel so happy. I can't wait to go back someday.
Happy New Year! Buon Anno!
Happy Saturday to you and yours... Sabato Felice per voi e la vostra...
Ciao!
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