Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Happy Birthday, Wanda!

Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda celebrates her birthday today! At 81 years young, she is still a world traveler. Her efforts to spread the spirituality of Pier Giorgio have taken her to many countries. She even made the long trip to Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day 2008. One of my favorite memories with Wanda was actually a much shorter road trip -- from Torino to Pollone. We ran out of gas just after exiting the Autostrade and it ended up being a good laugh for everyone involved. After a talk I gave recently to the students in a religious education program, one of them asked how I knew so much about Pier Giorgio. The answer is Wanda! Through her, I have gotten to know Pier Giorgio much more intimately, and that is how FrassatiUSA came into being. One thing I know about Wanda is that it is not an easy task to get a picture of her. But here is one of my favorites that I snapped one night in Trastevere as she was arriving on her motorino. I have to believe that Pier Giorgio would love to see his spirit of adventure embodied in his niece as she zips through the streets of Rome! Tanti auguri, Wanda! Keep riding....to the top!

3 comments:

Eduardo Henrique said...

Querida Wanda,
que Deus te abençoe cada vez mais...
te amo muito e sempre!
Um imenso abraço carinhoso do tamanho do Oceano,
do seu sempre!

Eduardo Henrique
São Paulo _Brasil

kestutis said...

Grazie mille for the beautiful and very inspiring picture. Precisely, what I was looking for! Because I have met Wanda (for the first time in my life) in her another picure - taken on October 2nd, when she was in Lithuania visiting the place of her father's very first and original home.
"Happy Birthday, Wanda!" When my father was born her father was only four years old. And only three kilometers away. The day after tomorrow, November 21st, will be his 112th Birthday!

kestutis said...

And Happy Thanksgiving! A hundred years ago, when Wanda's family was living in Lithuania, her grandmother Elena helped my grandmother Veronika to raise my father. "In loving service".

God's gifts of love are countless and his goodness infinite. It is never too late for us to give thanks and praise.