Not unlike the rest of the world, my family and my life experiences growing up largely shaped me into the person that I am now...of course I'm still growing, but the person that most people know me to be is a result of some key players and experiences in my life.
I remember at one point, when I was younger, reflecting on my parents' separation; my Dad moving all around the world, my Mum working so much and so hard at her job all the while trying to keep me in-line and I remember thinking, I don't feel that I ever lacked anything and that I wouldn't have changed any of it for my personal gain because everything that I experienced shaped me and prepared me to deal with life the way I do. Maybe I would have asked God to change it for my parents, but even they had their own roads to travel and learn from, no?

I'm still about 40 pages away from the end of Pirandello's novel One, No one and One hundred thousand. While reading it, I couldn't help but directly relate myself to Pirandello's dialogue...I thought of who I know myself to be, how other people perceive me and what I know to be true or false about both.

A little over a year ago, someone challenged one of my very serious flaws and it shook me. I've not been the same since...I think I've improved.
A short time after this imposed but welcomed realisation, one evening, I noticed a person in the conversational circle that I was partaking in, listening to me dialogue in Spanish, looking at me...even appearing to understand me regardless of the language I was using. I thought to myself, what lovely bright eyes and such a fantastic smile looking at me! But does this person have a clue as to what I am saying, I don't think they even understand Spanish!?!

On the last day of that same year, I found myself stepping off a plane. Not unusual yet. Wait for it, wait for it....in Rome (ITALY), where I would spend 3 weeks with that same bright-eyed, curious, attentive, intuitive, mildly crazy individual. With hindsight, I can recount moments that surely affected the transition of my feelings but are in no way a product of simple addittion...from that of surprise from noticing the vibrant yet kind of crazy person smiling at me in a busy, barely lit room, to that of nervous laughter as we spoke and slow-danced-a-little-too-close (consequently causing me to sweat profusely) in a busy american airport, to the relaxed saunter directly into my birthday party together despite fatigue from the transatlantic flight/lack of luggage and months of waiting to be within whispering distance, and finally, to the strangely comfortable feeling of rolling my many suitcases, accompanied by a newly acquired friend/complete stranger from the plane (who's father had just passed away and needed a ride to the train station in Rome)toward this person who has so much to offer and exchange...who was waiting for me (!) in the early morning hours of the last day of the year(!).

Lastly, and what is more, when we met...I can recall thinking that something strong was happening...and in fact, it is...


JOVANOTTI
DOVE HO VISTO TE
E le mie gambe han camminato tanto
E la mia faccia ha preso tanto vento
E coi mie occhi ho visto tanta vita
E le mie orecchie tanta ne han sentita
E le mie mani hanno applaudito il mondo
Perchè il mondo è il posto dove ho visto te
Dove ho visto te
E le mie ossa han preso tante botte
E ho vinto e perso dentro tante lotte
Mi sono steso su tante lenzuola
Cercando il fuoco dentro a una parola
E le mie mani hanno applaudito il mondo
Perchè il mondo è il posto dove ho visto te
Dove ho visto te
E c'è una parte dell' america
Che assomiglia a te
Quei grandi cieli senza nuvole
Con le farfalle e con le aquile
E c'è una parte dentro all' africa
Che assomiglia a te
Una leonessa coi suoi cuccioli
Che lotta sola per difenderli
E le mie braccia hanno afferrato armi
E tanta stoffa addosso a riscaldarmi
E nel mio petto c'è un motore acceso
Fatto per dare più di quel che ha preso
E le mie mani hanno applaudito il mondo
Perchè il mondo è il posto dove ho visto te
Dove ho visto te
E c'è una parte della mia città
Che assomiglia a te
Quella dei bar con fuori i tevolini
E del silenzio di certi giardini
E c'è una parte della luna
Che assomiglia a te
Quella dove si specchia il sole
Che ispira musica e parole
Baciami
Mangiami
Lasciami
Prendimi
Scusami
Usami
Credimi
Salvami
Sentimi
E c'è una parte della vita mia
Che assomiglia a te
Quella che supera la logica
Quella che aspetta un'onda anomala
E c'è una parte in amazzonia
Che assomiglia a te
Quelle acque calde e misteriose
Le piante medicamentose