Meet Nonno Livio, my maternal grandfather, and Saturday Story Spotlight.Patience. Perseverance. Patience. Lessons from my nonno that I carry with me every single day as I navigate the unpredictable and often turbulent sea of life. As I write this my heart and mind are transplanted to a different time. I’m standing with nonno on the street in front of our beach house gazing at the translucent turquoise colors of the Mediterranean Sea (see b&w photo several posts back of our beach house).

We walk up and down the street like gentle waves coming up and down with the tide. His hand is graciously, yet firmly, holding my forearm, “piano, camina piano, con calma” (slowly, walk slower, calm pace).I like to walk fast. It’s like I’m on a mission to get somewhere even when there is nowhere to go.At that time, only walks with nonno made me stop. He walked a few yards, stopped, looked me in the eyes with profound love, smiled, then continued walking. Sometimes the stopping involved words and other times not. When he spoke I listened, and not because he demanded it. I yearned for his wisdom and council any chance it came. I wish I recorded all of his words. I may not remember everything he ever said, but I will never forget how he made me feel.

The love he poured into my broken vessel. The calm presence he exuded from sunrise to sunset. The slow walks and stopping moments. He was my lighthouse on dark nights at sea. Shining the way forward as I navigated the rough and even calm but weary waters.With patience we walked. With perseverance we arrived at our final destination. Sometimes the destination wasn’t a physical place, as I expected, more importantly, it was the arrival to finding a peaceful mind.

This won’t be the last time you here about my nonno in these little squares…I sincerely hope  that at some point in your life you’ve encounter a “nonno Livio” If so, tell us more…

Written with Amore,

Elena