When it came time to choose which language school to study at in Italy, there was one thing on mind—which environment will give me the most intense language course? My objective was to come out of my language studies as fluent in Italian as I could possibly become in 4 weeks. So, I requested to live with a family in order to have more opportunities to practice Italian. I pictured a family with parents in their middle to later years and a few kids. What I got was a retired old woman. So, the living situation was not exactly what I anticipated.
When I arrived in Siena, there was plenty that I complained about, for one reason or another. The food isn’t good enough, it’s too far a walk to school, I have zero amenities, etc. By reading this, you’re probably thinking exactly what I’m thinking while writing this—what a lush! Well, that’s the conclusion that I have come to. I will confess, I have been far too ungrateful for what I have been given thus far. However, I want to point out one aspect in particular—living with my host “family.”
Part of it may be caused by the fact that I come from a loving, intimate, enjoyable family who I miss dearly, but I have too easily pointed out the insufficiencies of my living situation here in Siena. Again, my whole objective in requesting to live with a family was to practice Italian—so why am I complaining? I got what I asked for, right? Although it’s true, I did get what I asked for, there’s something more to it.
Within the past few weeks that I have been in Siena, while eating dinner daily in the company of this elderly woman who cooks for me and has invited me into her home, it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe, I shouldn’t always look to what’s in it for me. In fact, this woman and I have had some great conversations about religion, the Church, Italian culture, etc. There’s a quote in M. Raymond’s book, The Family that Overtook Christ, which basically states, ‘God put me in this tiny place in this tiny speck of the universe, which we call [Siena], to make it beautiful, for Him.’ Who knows, maybe God has called me to love this elderly woman as Christ did, and bring Christ to her through my words and deeds.
We are all called to be the body of Christ. We are called and sent to bring Christ to the world. So, as I think about the many things I have been blessed with and ask God to change my heart to accept the little nuances in my life, I ask you to do the same out of complete love for God.