We row with you...we sail with you!

Ciao Danda!  What to say of your beautiful post, and all the memorable details which remind us of the magic we can find in so many seemingly meaningless moments of our lives?  GRAZIE!!!  I can also tell you that today my taste buds went to paradise as they ate my first "suppli" from one of my favourite bars in Rome!  Just as my eyes did looking at the elegant cypress trees and generous Mediterranean pines framing a stunning evening sky.  Ahh, ´tis true that "la vita è bella" when we choose to see it that way!  You´ve made a clear choice to keep living this way so make sure you stay faithful to this worthy goal...notwithstanding the inevitable roller coaster ride!  

Although I don´t have my "Sailing to Barcelona" diary with me here in Rome, I want to share a part of it that still has a place in my memory even if the words are not exactly how I wrote them.  You see, at the beginning of my "Sailing to Barcelona" adventure, I felt completely alone.  I had been given a vision, an idea, a mere dream and I had (very naively!) offered myself to make it come true.  I felt I had jumped onto a majestic, powerful boat with which I had had an immediate love-at-first-sight, but had no one to row or sail with.  Suddenly I was being swayed by waves much larger, scarier and ominous than I could have imagined.  I used all my might, all my strength, all my love, all my soul...and yet it wasn´t enough.  When I would crumble in dispair, my wise and loving boyfriend reminded me: "You are alone, now, as you row your boat.  But as you keep rowing, someone you´ve inspired will jump on the boat and row with you.  Then as you row ahead with a helping hand, someone else will join your voyage.  And soon, you´ll realize that...your boat is full and you´re no longer sailing alone!"  It was hard to imagine when he uttered those words, but once I´d found (or can we say attracted?:) ) my "dream team", the memory of his words brought a smile to my face.  

I apologize in advance for all these sailing analogies, but I feel that your roller coaster ride could also be a trans-oceanic sailing voyage...where the stomach-churning ups and downs are not carts on metal frames but a boat riding giant waves; where the vicious turns are actually a slap in your face by a violent gust of wind; and where the tremendous relief that invades you as the cart slows down is the peaceful, rewarding lull after the storm.  I hope you feel us all with you on this roller-coaster-ride/trans-oceanic sailing voyage!  You have fought, inspired, believed, loved, and shared from your heart during these challenging months and now you can take a step back, let go of the rudder for a moment, and look at your boat.  It´s full of people who admire and love you, who are inspired by you and willing to fight with you.  It´s full of people who are more than ready to reach the beautiful "traguardo" that comes after all the roller coaster rides (it´s hard to find an English translation for this powerful word meaning so much more than simply "goal"...."traguardo" speaks of a physical as well as a spiritual place to reach once you´ve achieved your objectives).  

And again, I leave you with the wise words of my "caro Papà" as I know he is cheering for you and sending you positive energy from his new realm of Peace: "La fede non ha paura!".

Love, Sally