Robert Redford. A man of courage and vision

Sundance Festival started 25 years ago. Actor, Director and Activist Robert Redford used to beg people outside the one movie theatre to go in and watch movies.
Thanks to his leadership and vision today Sundance is one of the major movie festivals in the World and attracts 50,000 visitors a year and runs over 200 movies.

Robert Redford’s interview with Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123266544269807877.html

Graceland

April 6, 2009, for Christians around the World kicked off the week of Easter. On Monday, April 6th in L’Aquila, Italy, earth shook with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter Scale. The merciless earthquake took the lives of almost 300 people, destroyed the 800-year-old Capital of Abruzzo (my Region) and left 70,000 people homeless.

One of my high-school friends, Marina wrote a sad, hopeless note on her Facebook page: “Una Pasqua senza resurrezioni” meaning: “An Easter without resurrections”. I don’t consider myself a practicing Catholic, but I feel inspired by some of the messages that transpire from the New Testament. Resurrection is one of the things that move me the most. According to most dictionaries the meaning of “resurrection” is the state of one who has returned to life.

My friend Andres’ cousin: Juan Vanegas is a Catholic Priest in L’Aquila. His church and residence were destroyed. Father Juan had the option to leave after the disaster and go somewhere safe, to an easier life, perhaps rejoin his family abroad. He decided to remain with his new family and fight a long and demanding battle. He is guiding his people like a good shepard, leading them to a new life out of rubbles, pain and chaos. People like Juan help me believe in resurrection.

There is a popular song by Paul Simon called “Graceland”. In the song Paul and his 9-year old son are traveling to Graceland. Of course the place Mr. Simon is referring to it is not Elvis’ tacky house in Memphis. He is referring to an imaginary place, a place of hope, redemption and resurrection. A place that means the start of a new life. He wrote the song during a divorce from his longtime wife. The song says: "There is a girl in New York City who calls herself the human trampoline and sometimes when I'm falling, flying or tumbling in turmoil I say oh so this is what she means she means we're bouncing into Graceland".

People have choices after disasters strike their lives. They can pull themselves out of the rubbles, let their wounds and pains heel and head to their "Gracelands" or do nothing and let death win. I believe anyone can make a resurrection. I know someone who went through a rough time in his life. Disasters seemed to happen all at once around him. One of his close family members was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, his 18-year old marriage came to an end, and he was on the brink of losing his job. These events can put anyone on his/her knees. This person decided to stand strong and make a trip to his "Graceland". He is still fighting some of these battles but something good came from his ordeals. There is an old say: “What doesn’t break you will make you stronger”. Today this person feels much stronger and a better person that he was 2 years ago. He found his resurrection.

Like the great Italian Dramaturg Eduardo de Filippo used to say: "Tests never end in life", and personal "earthquakes" will keep testing us. We win only if we decide to pull ourselves out of the heavy rubbles, stand on our feet and rebuild our lives. It is never easy.

I believe in the ability of people to rebound because of the strength they have in their hearts and the deep desire to choose life versus death. I will tell my friend Marina that resurrections can happen. Like in the song: "Maybe I've got a reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland". A

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Stefano Paolinelli
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Father Juan Vanegas with a rescue team in L’Aquila

Father Juan's Interview on RAI Television: http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-1e77ac83-1131-4a04-9b2e-fa4581bc4bf2.html?p=0

L’Aquila’s Disaster - Photo Gallery: http://www.cbc.ca/photogallery/world/2130/