Le Due Cecche

martedì, 21 gennaio 2025

After posting my third piece of art focusing on Le Due Cecche, some of you may be wondering about my fascination with the architecture of this structure within my little medieval village. Like many of the pictures that I paint, however, these pieces go beyond the formal structure and into what they represent on a very human level. For Le Due Cecche is much more than a simple building, or even a restaurant, to many of us in the village, Le Due Cecche represents the social center that sits at the heart of Pari. While we are fortunate to have an active resident’s association, Le Due Cecche is the place where people meet on a daily basis to check in with one another.

Here (like many Italian cafés is where one goes to check in with one another, not only to see what is happening in the village, but how people are doing and what one may need help with for that day. In other words, Le Due Cecche represents the heart of the community, a place where people come to congregate and socialize with each other, even for a few minutes while sipping a cappuccino or a shot of espresso and a pastina (sweet pastry). As soon as one enters the restaurant, they can expect to hear a hearty, “Ciao, buongiorno!” (Good morning), or “Salve, buongiorno!” for first-time visitors in the community.

It is not unusual to hear someone ask “Tutto bene?”, or “Tu come stai?” (How are you?). Unlike the Northeastern United States, however, people genuinely want to know how one is doing, instead of substituting the phrase for a simple “hello”. I will never forget the first time I was in an American coffee shop after returning from Italy and someone in line asked how I was doing and I responded, “I’m actually a little tired, how are you?” The gentleman looked shocked that I actually made eye contact and answered their question with more than a nod.

Which brings me back to Italy. Every time I come back to the United States, I realize more and more how much a sense of community is missing here. Not community in the sense of gatherings with shared interests, but expressing a general sense of care and concern for others on a basic human level. This is not to say that people in the Northeast Stati Uniti don’t care about others, my experience is that many of them do. They are just wont to express it. I was surprised at just how lonely I feel every time I return to the United States, on a basic human level. Somewhere along the line many people here seem to have forgotten the importance of interacting with one another on a basic human level.

What can one do? The solution is deceptively simple. Say good morning to people, yes even complete strangers, and mean it. Look people in the eye and acknowledge their presence. Nod to people that you make eye contact with by accident as they walk into the café, restaurant, or bookstore. Admittedly, some people might look away, but others, including yourselves, may find a refreshing burst of energy simply by being acknowledged at a basic human level (and yes, you can extend this to pets and animals, whom I always take the time to acknowledge as well).

Yours in inspiration,
Michael Weaver