Memento Mori

Victoria Cipolla, my mother, passed away from ovarian cancer at 56. She was full of life and left behind countless funny, memorable stories. She often spoke lovingly of her grandmother Nani, who remained an abstract figure to me. Now, ironically, she has become "Nani" to many important people in my life.

I wish that my wife and children could have met her - her sense of humor was incredible, and their laughter would have brought her such joy. Her death taught me life's brevity, inspiring me to chase my dreams. I sold my house, quit my job, and planned a 3-month stay in South America. That adventure stretched into 10 years, mostly in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with some time in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.

I'm grateful for where this path led me - to my wife and children. To stay grounded, I reflect on what stood out from five years ago, keeping 3-4 truly important things in focus. A lot of the time we get so caught up in going at a fast pace, saying yes to things that are not important, living life without intent, and letting our environment dictate our next move that we end up frantically traveling, but forgetting where we are even going — halfway to nowhere. "Memento Mori," said the mayfly.

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