Sharing Our Family Recipes Has Become A Mission To Bring Joy

I was sitting in a hospital waiting area here in Italy just over six years ago. I had undergone treatment for thyroid cancer during the previous month. That day I was there to find out if the nightmare was over, if we had managed to defeat the monster. I use “we” because fighting cancer is a struggle that involves quite a few people, starting from your loved ones right through to friends, doctors, nurses, and people you meet along the way. My husband and I waited quietly, nervously. A couple, in their late 40’s like us, sat, a few seats away. The lady was sobbing and the man was doing his best to comfort her. He dried her tears and kept reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. As you can all imagine, it’s not rare to see people cry in these situations. I cried too, every time I went. That’s what cancer does, it takes away your breath and leaves your thoughts racing through fear, doubts, and glimmers of hope to hold on to with all your might. It felt like ages before the doctors called us in. Finally, it was our turn. <blockquote> “Mrs. Pacella, there is no longer any trace of cancer in you. You are a healthy woman now. Enjoy your life, enjoy the little things. They are what count the most.” </blockquote> I crumbled into my husband’s arms and we burst into tears. We had just been granted a second chance. The doctor had given me a clean sheet of paper to write the second chapter of my life. As we stepped out of the office we saw the couple that was sitting with us in the waiting area was still there. They saw us crying for joy. <a href="https://medium.com/in-living-color/sharing-our-family-recipes-has-become-a-mission-to-bring-joy-6dd7a7129d16">Visit Now</a>