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June 2003
Again this is written from anywhere but at home – however I have had ten
days IN THE HIGHLANDS! And
once I am back from this trip I will have a whole four and a
half weeks! And then my being away will only be odd long
weekends right through until September.
Now I am sitting on yet another aeroplane bound for
London, and then Italy. An
Italian group were kind enough to invite me to a weekend convention
in Trieste, which I was happy to accept. Then
the organizer called again and said would I prefer the week after,
in Cremona. I replied that I would be delighted with either – and
ended up with both! But
of course pads and pens are portable – they even fit into my
largest handbag – so plenty of work can be done in between flights,
meetings and so on. And it needs to be! I must have at least two drafts of my second
war story completed by late July.
However I have now had a Sunday at home, and so was
able to go to Church, and it was an exceptionally good service
all the way through. Much
to learn and think over.
We began with Relief Society, and the lesson was taught
by my dear friend Meg, on not taking offence. What a big subject that is! I
remember years ago having a sister say that those who take offence
where it is not meant are as much at fault as those who give
it. It is so easy to nurse hurt feelings, and
then begin to hurt back, perhaps only in small ways, but over
time it builds, and can last long after the original problem
is forgotten.
I have found that if I go to someone who has hurt me,
almost always it was clumsy, ignorant, unthinking, meant to be
funny, or that I had merely been the victim of an anger caused
by someone else, bursting out after that person had gone. Nothing
cruel was meant to me. I
might have been over sensitive, have misunderstood, or it could
have been ‘the last straw’ on a bad day. But
after explanations, we have ended with understanding, and a greater
friendship.
Cultural differences in the meaning of a word can cause
problems. Something can
be funny to one person, but extremely offensive to another. And we don’t need to be from obviously different cultures, sometimes
a different town, or a different generation can do it. But isn’t there more than enough pain which
we can’t help, do we need to find more, when a few moments’ thought,
a question or two, could dispel it?
We spoke of forgiveness, for when the offence really
exists, and Meg gave us to keep, a quote from the 17th century
poet, George Herbert which I find beautiful in word and in spirit. ‘He that cannot forgive others breaks the
bridge over which he himself must pass if he would reach heaven,
for everyone has need of forgiveness’.
That in itself would have been enough to make the day
of infinite value, because it is a lesson which never ends, nor
will there ever come a time when its truth does not matter.
Sunday School also was excellent, but then I love the
Gospels in the New Testament so deeply anything from them enriches
me beyond measure. This
lesson was on the strength of faith to accomplish all kinds of
miracles. We spoke of Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore
tree to see the Saviour, and being seen by Him, and told that
today He would dine in Zacchaeus’ home. Zacchaeus
said that he gave half of his goods to the poor, and if he had
wronged anyone, repay him tenfold.
How high will we climb to see the Saviour – perhaps
with a clearer eye? And
how much of our comfort would we give away in order to have Him
dine with us? I say ‘comfort’, because it is not always
a matter of physical goods. It
may be other sorts of treasures, a position, a relationship,
the comfort of belonging in a family or a community, of not being
laughed at or criticized – or nagged! It is often much pleasanter, in the short
term, to give in rather than stand for what you believe, and
try to do it with dignity and grace – which can be difficult.
And climbing sycamores, whatever they may be literally,
is not easy either. But
the higher you get, the more you see! Keep
your head down and stay with the crowd, and all you see is other
people’s backs.
We spoke also of people’s faith to be healed, and whether
they had true gratitude afterwards. We
did not mention the woman with the issue of blood who touched
the Saviour’s garment in the crowd, but she is always in my mind
when I think of faith.
There is so much on that subject I could mention every
chapter of the Gospels, but this is enough for this day. What we received will be food for the spirit
for some time.
Now it is Sunday again, and I am in Trieste, soon to
be taken to see the ancient Roman town of Aquileia. The hospitality here is wonderful! We are a collection of writers – Italian, American, German and
one English – me. I am
also the only woman writer.
The American writer is Joe Lansdale, from East Texas,
who has with him his wife and seventeen year old daughter. It is most interesting because his style is
as different as possible from mine, and yet I find we have a
great deal in common in beliefs about tolerance, compassion,
honour, kindness and the sorts of loyalty and integrity that
matter. I find I like
him and his family very much. It
is a great experience to meet someone totally different on the
outside, and discover how much of what matters is alike. It broadens and gives a sense of light and
freedom to the spirit. Eternity
could be filled with such things – and so can this life, if we
try.
Trieste is old and very beautiful and of great interest
because it is on the border of Slovenia and Austria, so of very
mixed culture, a gateway to Eastern Europe. It
is right on the sea, the weather is lovely, the food gorgeous – like
all Italian food – at least to me! Fresh
fish, vegetables, pasta, and meat if you wish it – lovely bread,
pastry and desserts as well. But
the best thing about meals is that we all gather together to
talk, share ideas and experiences, and dinner takes at least
a couple of hours. It wouldn’t do for a usual working day, but
for this it is perfect – truly civilized!
I have done some interviews, particularly on radio,
and that is an interesting experience, and takes a great deal
of concentration, because of course it has to be in Italian,
so I have to listen intensely to the translator, who is excellent
and charming and takes the greatest care of me – and of the American,
who is a delightful man. Naturally
I do not catch all the humour, but they laugh a lot as well as
asking very intelligent and perceptive questions.
Tomorrow we leave Trieste and set out for Cremona. I
think we are to call in at Brescia as well. The
journey will be by train, which should be interesting. Later
in the week we go also to Milan for a signing in a very good
shop there, and we are promised a trip to see the famous Cathedral
as well, and for me a visit to a shop near La Scala Opera House
which sells opera CDs, including some rare ones.
Really, nobody could be more utterly charming, generous
and hospitable than they are, and the country is so beautiful
it all but takes your breath away: the
skies, the land, the cities with their gorgeous buildings, wide
streets, old and exquisite piazzas. I
don’t think I dare even look at the shops!
And of course there is so much history! Over two thousand years of it!
Today, Sunday 1st. June, we all met for breakfast,
then at ten o’clock gathered in two cars to be driven first to
the beautiful white castle of Miramare next to the sea to look
at grounds, then on to Aquileia which in its time was one of
the largest cities in the ancient Roman Empire. We
saw the ruins of the harbour on the canals, and marvellous old
churches still standing, and still in use. Underneath
them archaeologists have unearthed the most exquisite mosaics
which we can see very clearly under glass walkways. They
are perfectly preserved in many places, not a piece missing and
the colour still bright. What was fascinating to me was the repetition
of designs which are almost exactly the same as many Celtic twists
and knots in Scotland and Ireland. It
seems like a very visual sign of the universal brotherhood of
man, even in ancient times when there was so much less travel.
One of the churches had the original font which was
first used to baptize people in the fourth century after Christ,
when the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion
of the Roman Empire. It was a strange and moving experience to
touch the stones where those very early Christians must have
climbed into the font to take their new faith upon them. Britain
was still under Roman rule, as was most of the known world. It was before the fall of the Empire, the
coming of the barbarians and the beginning of the Dark Ages. It was over a thousand years before Columbus! And
the land was the same, these stones felt their hands, and it
felt mine. The past is not far away; those people are as real as we are.
There we had an excellent lunch of fresh sea food and
salad at a country club before going on to Grado, known as the
mother of Venice, because when Atilla the Hun swept down from
the north, the people of Aquileia fled to the marshes and islands
of Grado and built their city there, just as later Venice was
built by people in flight from other pursuers. Grado has many architectural features later
copied by Venice, and we walked through the narrow streets and
squares in the sun, admired ancient towers and churches, before
driving back here to Trieste. It
has been a day full of beauty, intense interest, good conversation
and the greatest kindness.
Tomorrow we go by train to Cremona. Tuesday we are there. Wednesday I believe we go briefly to Milan. Friday I leave from Milan airport to return
first to London, then Glasgow, then home. I
expect to be there for at least four weeks before having to go
back very briefly to London.
Trieste has been marvellous, full of good experiences
and not a single thing about it I would have changed or found
fault with. What a blessing to be given.
Yesterday we left Trieste by train, which was clean,
in excellent repair, very comfortable and precisely on time. We watched the beautiful countryside and truly
gorgeous towns as we passed and changed trains at Mestre, which
is just outside Venice. Again
they were exactly on time. From
Mestre we went to Brescia, from where we were driven to Cremona. There
was time for a little rest, then a newspaper interview. I finished my short story, which is due when
I get home, and we all had another excellent dinner, and then
walked around the heart of Cremona for a couple of hours. It
was very warm, quite a few people were about, all in a happy
mood.
The cathedral here is vast and incredibly beautiful,
with the tallest cathedral tower in Italy. Today
we should be able to go inside as well. We saw all kinds of lovely streets and buildings, courtyards, iron
fretwork, flights of steps, paving, giant carved wooden doors,
painted ceilings easily seen through open windows. There
was talk, laughter, glimmering streetlamps and the smell of jasmine
in the air.
Today we do interviews, television, visit a violinmaker
and see the Stradivarius museum, and the inside of the cathedral.
There are many wonderful and beautiful places on earth,
but there cannot be any that are more so than Italy.
Actually for me the most exciting thing in Cremona was
to visit the workshop of one of the finest violinmakers in the
city. As I expect you will all know, Cremona is
world famous for being the home of the best violin makers in
the world for centuries, ever since Stradivarius and Guanerius. Indeed Signor Bisolotti had a life size statue of Stradivarius
in his entrance hall, and it startled me how much he resembled
it in features.
He was utterly charming, and showed us around all the
different rooms, introduced us to his sons and told us of the
different skills, all the exotic materials used in making the
resins, varnishes etc., and stressed that they were all natural,
no chemicals added. It takes over 200 hours of handwork to make
a good violin! He did
not say how many years of learning the art!
He even gave us each (in English or Italian as appropriate)
a most beautiful book on the art of violin making in Cremona,
and the history of his own family.
Of course we did also do the interviews, and so on. I
believe they went very well. Everyone seemed happy, the questions were
intelligent and perceptive, and after another excellent dinner
we walked home through the city in the dark.
Yesterday was our last day, and we spent a quiet morning,
(I wrote) and then went to Milan by train. There we saw one or two of the main places, including what must
surely be one of the most exquisite buildings in the world – the
Cathedral. Again we did
interviews, signings, then another dinner of wonderful food,
conversation and laughter – and were driven back to Cremona,
getting home about half past midnight.
Now it is 8 AM, and I must go to catch my plane to London,
then to Glasgow, where I will be met and driven the four hours
or so home. I have had
a perfect time – beauty of nature and man, laughter, friendship,
great interest, some work, sunshine, good food, blessed with
good health – and this is supposed to be work!
No holiday could have given me more.
P.S. I have
to add a footnote – because it was such a delightful experience. I was driven from Cremona to the Milan airport
in the company of the most delightful Spanish writer Carmen Posadas
who is just gaining success and will tour America this September. I was able to tell her how I enjoy it every
year, and all the good things to look forward to. We spoke of many things about writing, values we try to express,
story ideas, and so forth. I
hope we are able to keep in touch. She
speaks perfect English, which makes it easier for me, and was
utterly charming. I will read one of her books, because it sounds
exactly the kind of story and approach that I would like.
It is an hour and forty minutes flight from Milan to
London, and we have just finished a really good lunch of fresh
green salad with asparagus, and oil and balsamic vinegar dressing,
hot battered and deep fried fish, warm rolls and butter, and
a dish of fresh melon, pineapple and mango! (Tea, coffee and wine were offered, of course,
but I had tomato juice). We
even had glass beakers, not plastic – and linen napkins!
Altogether a perfect end to my Italian trip. I am profoundly blessed – I know it and am
fully grateful
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