The Crossing Guard
You couldn't miss that big smile when I first moved into this place and went for my first walk.
The crossing guard had a name tag that said "Gianni (John)". Hearing his thick Italian accent, I was immediately transported to the land of pizza, vineyards, and olive oil.
It became a form of therapy over time. With whatever issues I had buried my mind into, going for a walk and happening to see him at the corner with the big smile seemed to shake me out of whatever trance I had put myself in.
After a while, I realized that he lived a few doors away from the corner that he works at. And after one chat I learned that he is a retired construction worker. He has grown kids here, but I'm not sure what order everyone arrived to Canada in.
His command of the English language still needs a lot of work, so the extent of our conversations usually involves chats about limoncello and naming exotic locations in Italy like Palermo or Positano. I have thankfully been to cities like Milano, Firenze and Napoli, so I can do Italian small talk.
Last night I drove by him as he was about to parallel park his car into its spot in front of his house. I couldn't help but pull up next to him, roll down my window and give a big hello. The sun was beaming and it was a warm day for February in Canada, so that was the topic of this quick conversation.
From Gianni the crossing guard, I learned about the joy of living in a small, family neighbourhood. How nice it is to be able to say hi to people when you go for a walk in the daytime. And just the appreciation of kind people in general.
I live in a building where many of the young people don’t even know how to say hi when you enter an elevator with them. Gianni is not like that, not only will I get a warm greeting, he will tell me to go to a barber and shave my beard.
One time I saw Gianni in a suit on a Sunday morning, and I realized that he could be going to nowhere other than church. I can appreciate a man of the cloth.
Be still my beating heart.
Three Ideas from My Notebooks
With or without you, this world is happening. The faster you can let go of this need to control everything, the sooner you will start to move with the current.
A master procrastinator puts off everything that is not important, right now. Sometimes you can leave dishes in the sink or decline a project if you have to get something of higher value done at this moment.
Your pain is your purpose. The challenges you go through are there for you to learn and one day help other people who struggle with the same issues.
All of the ideas going back to May 2023 are now located in The Ideas Index:
New Release: Just Drive
Get lost in the rabbit hole that this piece of music carves out for you.
The Revelation full-length album is out now.
Thank you for reading and I hope you treat yourself to some bagels this Sunday.
Elliott
Ho avuto la fortuna di insegnare inglese in Italia per un'estate. Che esperienza davvero magica è stata. L'ospitalità era diversa da qualsiasi cosa avessi mai sperimentato. All’epoca fumavo e c’erano pomeriggi o sere in cui mi ritrovavo a fumare una sigaretta dopo l’altra perché tutti erano curiosi di regalarmi una sigaretta. Semplicemente non potevo rifiutare la loro costante offerta di farmi fumare. Il paese è bellissimo, storico e ha un ritmo che non potrebbe essere più diverso dalla vita nordamericana. È facile innamorarsi dell’Italia e occuperà sempre un posto speciale nel mio cuore. Sono così felice di sapere che ogni giorno puoi vivere una delle parti migliori d'Italia, Elliot, sono le persone. Che bello!