Humility. Mom was born and raised in an aristocratic and wealthy family in Bari, Italy, educated by Montessori nuns in Rome and spending summers on the family’s almond farm in Puglia. Her life took a turn when the Americans invaded in World War II and she fell in love with my father, leaving her comfortable life behind and coming to America. From as early as I can remember, mom used to counsel me to stay humble — “humility, Larry; you never know what life has in store.” To mom, gifts were given, but they could also be taken away: “never despair on a loss,” she said, “nor boast on a win.”
Originally posted for the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida 100.