This month we celebrate Columbus Day, a holiday dear to the Italian-American community. But what is it we are actually celebrating?

 

Tradition has it that we honor Christopher Columbus because he discovered the Americas — but Leif Ericson and company (and possibly others) actually got here first. Conversely, there are the politically correct folks who attack Columbus for spearheading Spanish and other European imperialistic colonization of the New World. While possibly true, our observance of the success of this man focuses on the impulses that led him to his life of adventure. We celebrate Columbus for representing a characteristic that is as much a part of the Italian fiber as the love of family and the recipe for a good marinara.

 

We are adventurers and discoverers, scientists, artists, explorers — from Galileo to Francis Ford Coppola to our grandparents and great-grandparents — we take chances, we challenge authority, and we embrace the new.

 

In this issue, you will be introduced to people who embody these qualities — members of our local community who have the courage and foresight of those who came before them. Included in this group:

 

          • A 21-year-old businesswoman who, after successfully running one business, is launching her second;

 

          • The real estate broker who, in this challenging economy, is developing a program to help people repair their credit and purchase a new home;

 

          • A musician who came to town 29 years ago with a “why not” attitude and has played with some of the country’s top singers, big bands, and orchestras;

 

          • The innovative marketing and public relations expert who helps clients navigate technology- focused public relations and social media; and

 

          • An entire family that reinvented itself in Las Vegas after losing its long-time business in a major flood.

 

Think about their stories and those of the others represented this month. Are you considering something big, something new — like changing jobs, learning a new language, traveling to an exotic locale, returning to school, taking piano lessons, or starting a family? If so, don’t let any stick-in-the-mud discourage you. Remember your aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents — they took the risks and faced the challenges in their lives with spirit, passion, commitment, and joy.

 

          Columbus represents the best of us — Here’s to adventure!