My Bisnonna, Granny Maddalena’s birthday was today and by complete coincidence, this morning I was talking to one of her relatives in Italy of her stories that I’m writing about. Like many of her era, Maddalena’s life was shaped by hard-earned experience as she lived through two wars, an earthquake, a pandemic, the depression and bringing up her sons single-handedly before she could join her husband in Australia.
I guess it’s no surprise there’s a saying among Italian Nonnas – ‘Sempre avanti’ – no matter what happens, keep looking ahead, keep going. The strength and braveness of these older women is remarkable. (Granny Maddalena still cheerful and cheeky in her late 80s.)
Sempre avanti! xxx
Zoë Boccabella 