What we are experiencing is a surreal moment, sometimes a nightmare. A strange period, in which the natural order of things was subverted. A time when what was normal, taken for granted, is no longer so. In which what was lawful is now illegal, what was allowed is now forbidden, what was usual is now not recommended, what was ordinary is now extraordinary. The simplest and most banal things we did every day, such as going out shopping, having an aperitif with friends, having a coffee at the bar, watching a football match, walking with friends, now we can't do them anymore. Let's hope for a little while longer. A period in which to say 'thank you' is perhaps too little!
But it is also the time when we get excited more than ever to hear the Mameli anthem. In which tears slide down from the eyes seeing the Italian flag flying over our skies or the arrows that paint the sky with the tricolor. The moment in which, perhaps, we all feel a little more Italian, all a little more patriots. The moment we all feel the most fratelli, all more children of the same community. All more "waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden". But it is also the time when we feel most fragile, helpless. And the strength to react and move forward, do you know who gives it to us? You! Yes, all of you, with your comments and your words of love.
Thank you, gracias and thank you!
Every day we read hundreds and hundreds of comments and messages full of encouraging and rewarding words. Who writes simply a "Forza Italia!", Who "courage!". There are those who pray for us, those who exhort us not to give up. Who, optimistically, assures us that we will get out of it. And who pushes us to do our best to win this war. There are also those who take the opportunity to express all their love for Italy. Messages that come from Italians who emigrated elsewhere or from children of Italian descendants who have probably never visited the land of their ancestors. Comments from Peru and Brazil, fromArgentina, from Chile and Paraguay. From Venezuela and Uruguay. From France, England, Switzerland and from Canada. Thank you, gracias and thank you. It is this support that cheers us up. It is this heat that crosses oceans and borders to warm us, to give us the strength to live this forced quarantine.
But rivers of words also come to us from those who have no ties to Italy but love it regardless. Because, on the other hand, you know, anyone who visits one of our cities can only be delighted. Whether it's Rome, Venezia, Milan, Florence, Palermo or Naples. Anyone who experiences the warmth and affection of the Italians cannot help but be captivated. Those who study our prose and our poetry, our art and our architecture only in books cannot help but fall in love with it. Those who taste our pasta or our pizza, our ice creams and our desserts cannot help but be addicted to them. So thank you, thank you to all of you who support Italy, always. To you who love it as if it were your homeland. To you whose veins run with Italian blood. Thank you for your love and support. We will do it, thanks to you too!
Brotherhood, empathy and solidarity
When this is all over, when we go back to our lives made up of ordinary little things we will remember again your words and your warmth will remain forever in our hearts. And we hope that when the Coronavirus will be just a bad memory the positive values that he brought out, solidarity, brotherhood and, above all, empathy, remain like beacons to guide our path forever.
# Italian in the heart
Thank you for your warmth that crosses oceans and borders