Never too late for love

When I was a kid I used to spend long afternoons at the community center play ground. Very often I was in awe with Fabrizio Merlo, a slightly older boy, who loved to spin at supersonic speed, bend on four-roller skates.

Although I used to spend hours sweating after the soccer ball with my friends, I thought roller skating was the coolest of sports! Fabrizio had the posture of a rocket man, and those skates were like wings!

Me roller skating in Valencia, Spain

He was my hero! And that intimidated me to the point of giving up before I could even learn how to move forward. Taking classes was out of consideration, who knows why! Later as a young man I used to ride my bike across the crazy streets of Palermo, dreaming of jumping over all sorts of obstacles on my superhero skates!

The contemplation of skating heroes continued when I lived in Paris. Some
saturday nights I wowed at flash mobs of skaters at the famous cross road of Boulevard St Germain and Rue the Rennes. These guys performed tricks and jumps and hooked up to the cars that started at the green light. Yet my wow did not turn into action.

When I moved to London I finally decide to try again. I started training up and down the side street of my guest house. One day I stepped onto the walkway, headed at the front door. But I lost balance and before falling down with my ass on the ground, I clung to the low fence wall. A block of bricks came loose and fell on my leg! It hart like I broke my leg. But the landlord yelling at me was even worse!

Ridicolous

Me painting in Piedmont, last snow March 2019

Many years passed and I am the dad of two teenagers, whom I encouraged to learn roller skating. They used to do or still do skiing, swimming, ballet, yoga, volley, tennis and who knows what BUT skating! No way. You know what? I enrolled MYSELF into a class and still doing it. In three years I was able to go out skating with my club for 15+ miles in Italy and Spain. And you can still see me 2 - 3 times a week rolling through my neighborhood, training at the basket floor outdoor, shamelessly at my age!

Ok a couple of times I had  my bones x rayed at the hospital but you know, no guts, no glory, right? And the glory soon came my way. The other day as I was roller skating down the street, and a kid cried out: look at him mom, wow! Wanna do it too!

I was that boy's Fabrizio! 

I felt so proud, and recalled this story from 50 years back, when Fabrizio was my idol. I know, Fabrizio could have been my big bro, while I could be that kid's grandpa. But that's a just a detail, isn't it?

The lesson learned is that it's never too late for the things you love. They might have been silent for decades but lived within you. Maybe it's time for you to give them a chance! Could it be painting?

Francesco

PS. If it could be painting, one exciting way to immerse in what you love is join one of my workshops. Take a minute to check out my workshops calendar and get your spot asap!

Please leave a comment and visit www.francescofontana.com