Column: La vita Italiana

Drops of blood slowly fell into a single white tissue as she cupped her head into her hands, listening to the buzz of jittery middle school students.

She was there to deliver a message, to tell her story — a story of how she lost her brown locks of hair, how she moved from Rome to Florence during her teen years and how she wakes up each morning with a sense of hope and rejuvenation.

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to hear Serena Catalano, a 22-year-old cancer patient, share a message about passion.

Although she leaned against the table, fighting the fatigue of chemotherapy, she spoke with a strong and steady voice as she stressed the important choice we make when we wake up each morning: to give power to fear and anxiety or to see life as a beautiful spectrum of infinite possibilities.

Each morning, when treatments cause her body to ache, Catalano chooses to see joy.

The choice to live each day to the fullest potential is something I have found very prevalent in the streets, schools and living rooms of Florence.

Since I have been studying in Italy, the things that have made the greatest impression on me haven’t been the grand sight of the Duomo, the ubiquitous gelato shops or the towering statue of David. What I am most amazed by is the generous amount of time

Italians take to spend with each other. They do not seem to hesitate about savoring another half hour with a friend over a cappuccino or going to their neighbor’s apartment to see if they need any extra soup for their supper.

In attempt to live la vita Italiana, I have embraced the value of living life for relationships and seeking inspiration within the community,instead of spending hours worrying about tests, bills from lawyers or prepping for the next 10 steps of my career plans.

I don’t see it as a choice between being careless or regimented, but rather as the opportunity to gain insight about the world and who you are through friends, neighbors and nature.

Sometimes you need to turn your gaze away from the pangs of reality and look toward your dreams and the things that make you happy.

Alongside Serena was a young painter, Tomasso, who spoke about the presence of color and emotion that exist in all things. He said we have the choice to see nero — black — the absence of color, or bianco — white — the culmination of all colors.

It is a choice to become overwhelmed with grief or acknowledge that beauty that surrounds you, a beauty that is unconfined.

“La bella vita,” a frequently used expression, represents a part of the Italian lifestyle that emphasizes the importance of living with spontaneity and freedom, rather than succumbing to doubt, obsession or greed.

Life is beautiful when you choose to see it that way.

Whether your car breaks down, you fail a test or you are turned down from the
internship you have wanted for months — life still goes on. All of these things may put a blemish on your vision of perfection, or even normalcy, but they cannot move your spirit, drive you to thinking negatively or cause you physical harm.

You hold the power to your happiness. Light your fire and keep it burning.