How many of you have a dictionary in your home? How many of you actually use it? I do have one; copyright 1978. That’s probably how long ago I acquired it. It’s still in pristine condition, because I never used it. I thought, what good is it, unless you have to look up how to spell a word ( pre spell check.) Even then, it didn’t make sense to me because if you didn’t know how to spell the word in the first place, how could you find it in the darn book? How’s that for logic? Sounded pretty good to me! Well, that excuse held up for me until I found IL VOLO, and the “flight crew” and I began conversing with all of you. Maybe some of you, if you’ve read any of my previous articles, are aware that I have now found ” the confounded book” to be a useful companion. However, I was not expecting to find a very telling description of “THE IL VOLO STORY” hidden within the pages upon pages of what I considered to be just oodles and oodles of words. Oh well, live and learn, because as I began to gather my thoughts for today, some of those random “words” began to gather in my head. I kind of had an idea in mind, so I kept checking out the actual meanings, (according to WEBSTER), of those words that I wrote down. Once again, the archaic, previously useless book, came through. Twelve simple words, just twelve everyday simple words, but those twelve words have allowed me to set down on paper a short but concise account of three young men’s determined, beautiful story. A story far from being finished, and won’t be for a very long time, yet even now, stunningly impressive in it’s potential for making life even more beautiful than it already is. “The uplifting of hearts, creates pathways for compassion, followed by outbursts of love, and kindness.” KM There are none more equipped to lead in that effort today, especially for our youth, than are our boys of IL VOLO; and they have wasted no time in beginning to do that very thing. Even for ones so young themselves, they are no strangers to that love, or that kindness.

“Sometimes the things that we see with our eyes, though beautiful, 
are never quite as beautiful as the things we feel with our hearts,
but cannot begin to explain.” KM

The story is simple, as are the words, and yet incredible and heartwarming; as heartwarming as are these three young men. The story begins in Italy/Sicily; places oozing with ancient history, cultural traditions, close loving families, and spectacular beauty everywhere you look. Gianluca, Piero, and Ignazio were each INTRODUCED – ( made aware of, or enabled to become familiar with ) to music very early on. It didn’t take very long for their families to become aware of the love for that music that had developed, but also, quite apparent was their remarkable vocal abilities. GIFTED – ( possessing great natural ability ) would be an understatement! Eventually, a WISH and a HOPE– ( a feeling that what one wants, will happen ) had emerged, to actually sing and become famous, just like the great singers they had come to appreciate: and as time went along, that wish, now became their DREAM – ( a series of thoughts, pictures or feelings that pass through the mind. A pleasant idea that one imagines. Something that takes on a possibility of becoming a reality.) Soon after they began to perform here and there, they realized that their abilities seemed to always fill a PURPOSE – ( a use, a plan, or a reason for something; not by accident, but intentionally: with good results.) Those hearing their voices, their music, even noticing the ease with which they were able to touch hearts, all felt that they were surely fulfilling what was considered to be their DESTINY – ( that which is bound to happen ), or maybe it was their FATE – ( that which seems to make things happen the way they do, or a power that is suppose to settle ahead of time how things will happen, things that happen as though controlled.) SIDE NOTE: the FATES, were the three goddesses in GREEK and ROMAN myths who, supposedly, controlled human life: but if I may interject, my personal feeling is, and has always been, that IL Volo is a wonderful gift, sent by their, (and our) creator; to encourage us, strengthen our hope, and elevate our capacity to embrace love; whether we choose to share it, or receive it into our own lives. His gifts do come in many different ways, in different packagings, most times totally unexpected yet always bearing the same message: that we are all His children, each one, and therefore our needs will always be known, never to be forgotten; but also always delivered in HIS time. HIS timetable for IL VOLO, was six years ago: and the dream? Their dream has them knee deep into their reality.

As for IL VOLO today: no one can ever say that they have been sitting back, waiting for their dream, or destiny, or whatever, to come to them. Just the opposite is true. They are relentlessly ACTIVE – ( lively, quick, busy ), doing whatever they can to bring beauty, delight, and for sure their love, to the world in whatever way in which they have been enabled. They have consistently upheld the mission that they feel, no, that they know has been given them. Certainly, their willingness to LISTEN to advice, and to ACKNOWLEDGE all the support behind the scenes, is also an all important factor to success. There are wonderful people working along side them, who believe in them, and have great admiration for the way they have held fast in their choices of conduct within this incredible opportunity. I don’t expect that that will ever change. Yes, each has dreamed a like dream; but now; now they share it together, making a commitment to themselves, and to each other, to be true to the beauty of that dream: pursuing it with honor, honesty and diligence, while all the while listening to that ever present voice that abides within. They hear it, and they feel it deep in their hearts. With great pride and excellence, they are bringing it forward into the world, as it was meant to be. Oh, I did say there were twelve words didn’t I? Well, the last one is, of course, SUCCESS. Actually, this word has no definite meaning. It is considered an elusive, ambiguous term, loosely referring to the attainment of a good result. As should be, that meaning is reserved for IL VOLO to define for themselves, individually. For us though, it’s meaning has already, and undoubtedly, been defined; … but “cannot be explained! “

Just words? Hardly. I see now how words, their meaning and their application, can play out within the span of our lives; and our dreams. Twelve words only, but those twelve significant words are all it has taken to bring IL VOLO, so quickly to…. AWESOME! ………….and us,.. just as quickly to tears.

~Kitty