A moment to enjoy

I recently watched a video interview with Antirez. For those who don't know, he's the creator of Redis, and he's Italian, just like me. After watching the interview, I felt like he embodies a lot of what I would think Italians are in the technical space. We've found excellence in other industries, but not many individuals have risen to Salvatore's level of popularity and success.

In the interview, he discusses the importance of sustaining what you enjoy most in life while giving back to society—like his contribution to Redis. Rather than morphing into something he's not by moving to the US, he decided to stay in his hometown and continue living the life he enjoys most, surrounded by the people he loves: family, friends, and food. His reflection is about being able to enjoy things that mean a lot in life and bring real happiness.

The other day, inspired by his words, I stopped for a second before eating my meal—probably for the first time in forever. It was a combination of things I miss most about Italy. I enjoy baking bread, and I made a special focaccia with olives and rosemary that turned out absolutely perfect. When I sat down with my wife and made a sandwich out of it, I paused for a few seconds to just enjoy the moment.

We continue to be in a never-ending rush: to buy the next house, move to the next city, get the new job, get the next promotion, get the project done. We make progress in every aspect of our lives at such a pace that we don't celebrate enough what we have or enjoy moments at a slower pace. I think in Italy we do that very well—maybe sometimes to a fault. We like to take our time with moments that should be enjoyed longer.

To honor that, and inspired by Antirez's words which reminded me of my roots (I've only been here in the US for 10 years), I paused and expressed gratitude for the type of food I grew up with that brings me the highest level of happiness.

Thought

So here's my invite, just like yesterday: find things that really bring you joy and try to slow down when you're facing those moments. Really soak them in and let them be a spark in your life to ground you and help you appreciate what you have.

And another reminder to find a better balance—there's no rush to the grave, especially in an age where AI seems to accelerate everything. Do not feel bad about slowing down.