Snowed In, Finished at Last

Archival photograph by the author

Being snowed in for a few days in late January did something rare: it cleared the noise. With nowhere to go and no distractions to hide behind, I finally completed two longer pieces that had been lingering unfinished for far too long.

One is a romanzo di formazione—an account centered on an unexpected meeting with an old friend, a piece I’ve been carrying around, half-formed, for ages. The other is a short history of the Sanfedisti and the Neapolitan Revolution of 1799, a subject I’d long avoided finishing simply because of its density and complexity.

Finishing them felt less like triumph than relief—a weight quietly lifted after months of avoidance and delay.

Because both pieces matter to me more than most—and as I do with all longer work—I asked a couple of trusted friends to edit and proofread them. I’m eager to hear their thoughts and sift through their notes. With a bit of luck and their final touches, we’ll be publishing both here soon.

In Its Own Time

St. Cornelius, ora pro nobis

Among the personal items I had blessed by the Pope last October was a small pocket shrine of St. Cornelius. When I returned home from Rome and realized it was missing, I assumed the worst. I searched everywhere—pockets, bags, wallet—turning my luggage upside down. I even invoked St. Anthony, the last resort of the desperate, but nothing came of it.

Eventually, I accepted that it was gone for good. Life moved on. The search ended.

Then, three months later, without warning or explanation, it appeared—sitting plainly next to my computer, where it could not possibly have been overlooked. Gone, and then suddenly present. Lost, and returned, as if it had simply been waiting for the right moment to come back.

~ Giovanni di Napoli, January 30th, Feast of Santa Martina