With new eyes

A summer is once again going over the top, even tragic and disastrous, in our area, marked by fires on one side and storms of hail and wind on the other. And we found ourselves, once again, having to deal with a marked imbalance, in which climate changes are now the order of the day and in which the deadly hand of man (to trigger arson) is not lacking. A devastating mix. In short, a season that has once again marked to a strong and impressive extent the critical issues of our time in heavy chiaroscuro. But summer has not lost its deep-rooted appeal, always present in the air that brings in the heat, that calls for a break, imagining some stretch of holiday. The media information has brought us holiday movements again, with the usual emphasis on queues, traffic, congestion, oppressive heat, high prices... and so on. The fact remains that not everyone was able to go on holiday, just as it remains to be noted that the holiday should be a right and duty which does not come true for many.

In any case, the pace of life and activity has slowed down, there are still many closed for holidays signs, and there are many signs that - as they say - we'll talk about it again in September. A break is needed, never forgetting that while someone rests there are others who provide the essential services for everyone. In short, life is not in watertight compartments, we are all to some extent intertwined and interdependent. You always need to be warned about it. And then – in these slightly slowed down weeks – there are opportunities to be seized. First of all, the practice of rest. We are not made of iron. We need to unplug, so as not to lose our way and to rediscover the values of humanity that are indispensable. At a family, community level, of sharing extended on many fronts. A rest that also gives respite to the soul: who knows if in the summer wanderings there wasn't space and time to stop in places of spirituality and refresh a little the underlying reasons for walking as believers, often distracted? And then the local summer has reserved many events that draw on tradition or that are new, in village festivals and celebrations, in which the religious appeal is intertwined with conviviality, music, folklore... And, above all, slices of joy to cultivate community bonds that are always vital, stopping - for a few moments - the worries that follow. But if the high cost of living suggested some sobriety to be taken into account especially in the family holiday budget, perhaps one valuable gratification could be pursued, and that was to bring a couple of good books with you. Written pages always help, even to have fresh eyes on the rest of the year. 

Corrado Avagnina

NP Agosto-Settembre 2023