The Laugh of a Culture

Sometimes we have experiences that change the way we look at life, react to others and exist in general. For me, living in Italy was one of several such experiences.

The challenge is not in getting up the courage for this adventure, or even carrying it out once it is in process.

The challenge is maintaining the positive effects of it per sempre, forever.

Living in Italy was like the caress of a warm breeze on a sunny day...it carried with it warmth, love, the smell of wonderful cuisine, the sense of humor of a nation, the laugh of a culture.

Once you return, that breeze remains with you, in your heart and swirling around your shoulders, but eventually it fades, leaving only a faint memory and no substance. An Italian song on the radio, an unexpected conversation from strangers on the street, and you remember once again, it aches in your heart as you remember what you once knew, what you once were.

How do you hold on to it so that it is a substantial part of you forever?