Letters from Calabria

Travel, Travelogue, Short Stories, Europe, Italy, Calabria
Many of these stories portray a patchwork of sad irony, absolute dichotomy, or cruel joke, foisted upon Calabria's children. Sadly, many will not visit for fear of some hidden danger; or those who do, without staying long enough to appreciate her inner beauty, look down their noses despairingly at her faults, failing to consider what she has had to endure. They see a poor woman, stripped of her treasures and occasionally her dignity--whose youth continue to flee for a better education and the chance of a job, just as they have done since the unification of Italy. A place to be avoided, in favor of the more popular and gentrified destinations.
However, there is also a golden thread woven throughout all of them that gleams with possibilities. At least for some, Calabria is instead, the kind heart of Italy. She may have little to be arrogant about today, but has much to make her proud. For sure, she has nurtured kind and gentle people, intelligent and hard working, who choose to stay and scratch out a living in a weak economy beset by organized crime, and punitive taxes.
Yet throughout her land, there is quiet optimism, even joy in the lives of those who remain. In their stoic, even heroic manner, they endure, as they have for so many generations, taking comfort in her natural beauty, the fraternity of her children and comfortable climate. If only her youngest and brightest could stay and earn a decent living while fueling her economic and artistic development, thereby removing her shabby trappings to expose the beautiful lady that she is.

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