God's good Grace

Wonderful thing for Sunday and Monday:  la Grazia.  There is a sister in our ward who is known simply by her first name, Grazia:  Grace.  One of the things I like about the Italian language is that when referring to a specific person by name, you can add the article “the” to the name.  This is what people do when referring to Grace:  the Grace – la Grazia.  Not just any Grace, but the Grace.  It makes her special, sometimes in the kind of way wherein you shake your head as if to say, “That’s our Grace, what can you do?”  Sometimes, mothers, like Sorella Ianni for example, might refer to their daughters, like 17-year-old Virginia, as “la Virginia” – thus, her Virginia stands out from the rank and file of Virginias.  This Grazia definitely stands out, which is undoubtedly why people refer to her with la.  She is very vocal and very opinionated, and wont to make razor-sharp observations that make people uncomfortable for their very truthfulness.  I have wanted to write about her for some time – but I’m not sure if I have the right to put my reflections about a person down in writing, which is far more permanent than merely talking about someone, without that person’s permission.   She is a very colorful character, and I will make sure to paint her in a positive light – mostly because that is how I see her!  I hope that will be sufficient, because I really think you will benefit from knowing la Grazia just a little bit.  What I share comes from our conversations together.

La Grazia is passionate about “reduce, recycle, reuse.”  She lobbies with the community in the recycling effort.   Although she is retired and, I believe, wealthy, you would never know it, because I think everything she wears is used.  This is not common in Italy; in my experience, you really have to hunt to find a used clothing store, or a store for used anything.  Prato’s claim to fame is textiles; the city is replete with textile factories (many of which are now owned, run and operated by the Chinese).  Grazia’s work was in this industry – but strictly “pratese” - and she retired from the upper echelons.

These days, Grazia can be found at the church – on almost any day.  Her calling is to be responsible for the cleanliness of the church, and she takes it very seriously, even though, by her own admission, she never took much interest in cleaning even in her own home; she employed a cleaning lady.   The church is not a church building, mind you; it is most of the bottom floor of an apartment building.  I think people tend less towards reverence in a church when it is “just” the bottom floor of an apartment building; but to la Grazia, it is the church.  She keeps the cleaning cart organized and filled.  She writes notes, asking people to be mindful to put things back, to take care.  She is always around to supervise and to assist.  A young Chinese brother in the ward who is preparing for a mission is looking for work; Grazia pays him to do some of the cleaning tasks in the church.  This is highly unorthodox, I acknowledge that fact; but there is something so disarmingly touching about it - she is using her means to bless the life of someone else.  She also pays a young woman preparing for a mission and looking for work, to do other stuff.  LOTS of people in Italy are looking for work, by the way, especially young people, because even more than in the US, older people are doing the jobs usually reserved for young people.

Grazia scandalized her parents in the 60s by leaving home at the age of 25.  She bucked societal trends by converting to Protestantism.  Her conversion story to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sacred and moving.  She always has something to say about any gospel topic, and as I said, is fierce and vocal about how we ought all to be living what we believe.  She loves young people, all the way down to infants.  She is very self-deprecating; she is divorced (has an adult son upon whom she dotes) but absolutely loyal to and supportive of priesthood leadership.  This diva retired from the fashion industry (she told me that Gianni Versace worked under her at one time) wears no makeup, does not color her hair, and wears used clothing; but she makes sure that less active sisters get the Relief Society newsletter or the Liahona magazine, and a visit, whether she’s their visiting teacher or not.  She sees a need and does what she can to minister. 

I mentioned to Grazia that we do not have curtains for our living room windows, which face onto the street at ground level.  Next thing I know, I’m in a utility room of Grazia’s, looking at some celadon-colored curtains she no longer has use for, and the next thing after that, she’s re-making them for us.  She’s also on the lookout for a rug/rugs for the living room floor.  I love la Grazia!  I invited her to join us at our little Thanksgiving gathering, but in that atmosphere, she is too shy and private – a veritable paradox, like the rest of us, each in our own “la” way – but Grazia is, if you ask me, la Grazia, personified.

Fun thing:  I bought a whole basil plant because it was cheaper than buying basil as an herb in the produce section, and I wasn’t sure I had enough in my planter, which I cannibalized for the zone luncheon and which has not really recovered.  I used almost all the basil leaves for the two Thanksgiving dinners here, but there are a few stragglers left behind.  I wasn’t too preoccupied about keeping it going, since winter’s coming on and all, but Blaine put it out on the ledge of the kitchen balcony the other day, although there was little sun.  He said – a little tongue-in-cheek - that it has as much a right to live as any other living thing.   Sometimes that guy has a real soft spot…