For those great men, there are many people loving Italy still nowadays, for its wonderful patrimony of Art and natural Beauty. I'm sure of that, I'm among those many. I deeply love Italy. But it is like loving a brainless, shallow, beautiful woman. You get bored after the first moment of overwhelming passion.
Sadly, there are people who say they don't want to join the rest of us in celebrating our country's b-day (they even dream a secession), most of them living in the North, and a gloomy minority in the South.
So to celebrate the day in which Italy, as it is now, was born from the sacrifice and struggle of Garibaldi and his men, from the ideas and political strategies of Mazzini and Cavour, I want to find Italians to admire in the present. Brave Italian people, who dedicate/d their lives to the dream of a better world. Politicians? None.
1. A doctor, GINO STRADA
A journalist, TIZIANO TERZANI
Two magistrates, PAOLO BORSELLINO and GIOVANNI FALCONE
A young writer, ROBERTO SAVIANO
An actor and director, ROBERTO BENIGNI
There are many others, I'm sure. Working hard because Italy may be different one day. Better. Much better than it is now. Men and women doing their jobs and fullfilling their tasks, doing always their best, despite the little money, they little respect, the little recognition they get. They are my Italy, the one I can deeply love.
Happy150th birthday, Italy.
10 comments:
Bellissimo post, MG. Ne ho scritto uno anch'io sul compleanno dell'Italia ma dopo il tuo non so se lo pubblichero'...Posso aggiungere alla tua lista Marco Travaglio? E un paio di donne, anche se attempate? Rita Levi Montalcini, Margherita Hack, Oriana Fallaci...perche' le piu' giovani purtroppo lasciano un po' a desiderare... Hai appeso la tua bandiera? Io ci ho provato, ma mi e' stata portata via da un colpo di vento...Bacioni e buona giornata! A.
Thank you Maria Grazia for this touching post. Other words would be superfluous so, just let's celebrate! Ciao :)
@lunarossa
Qui diluvia da ieri e le bandiere appese ma zuppe hanno un aspetto così triste! Marco Travaglio, sì. E Montalcini, Hack, Fallaci,anche. Ho scelto i primi esempi che ho nel cuore, ma lo so che ce ne sono altri. Aspetto il tuo post, mi raccomando! Un abbraccio. MG
@Claudia
Yes, let's do it, Claudia!Happy Italy B-day to you :-)
Here I am! May I join the celebration? :)
Anche se, come hai ben detto tu, MG, non è che ci sia molto da celebrare, oggidì :-/
E come Lunarossa, anche io ho notato la triste assenza di donne tra gli italiani da ammirare nel tempo presente: probabilmente ce ne saranno tantissime, ma magari non si mettono in mostra come i maschietti... tipico, no? ;)
Auguri a noi tutti/e,
xx K/V
It's so weird to think of your country being younger than mine! It was interesting to read your perspective of your country.
As a related side note, I now have a copy of The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa, and plan to read it this spring!
@K/V
I'm sure there are many women to mention. You could have contributed names, for instance, lazy girl!!!
Enjoy your total-relax holiday.
@JaneGS
I blush confessing I've never read The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) nor seen the famous movie. I'll try to do both things sooner or later. Looking forward to reading your review!
Lazy, me??? How dare you? look at you, still in your pyjamas at this hour! :P
As for The Leopard, you must absolutely read it, asap! Reading Tomasi's prose is pure bliss, I assure you! My advice? Leave alone poor Byatt and start immediately The Leopard, it is worth it! Oh, and the movie isn't bad, either - mostly thanks to Burt Lancaster... and many others :)
x K/V
@K/V
Don't you like pyjamas?!? There are people who even get married in those! And they are even so lucky to get married to dreamy men!!!
Happy belated 150 years' birthday to Italy! I kind of see exactly what you mean... I love Italy, but maybe most of all, I admire her for all the greatness in the past, that's true.
But, there are the movies, the music, the art of living, and, of course- the people and a beautiful, beautiful country!
Post a Comment