What would I would say to my younger self?

By Tina Morettin

Tina, Albertina, my Bella ciciona (Senorina Olga used to call me bella ciciona and I always thought it was a complement because everything sounds so pretty and sweet in Italian, even the swear words.)

Little did I know, it actually means woman with large breasts, so this was definitely a sweet slang for “chubbette.”    And no, you will never look like a ciciona.  Lol   Senorina Olga used to take you to the Bronx Zoo because you were only 15 months older than your brother, Albert and yes, they named him Albert.  And your Mama was overwhelmed.  She does love you though.  It was too much.  

What would I way to my younger self?  I would say Tina, I promise you, you will not shop in Alexander’s chubby girl section your whole life.  In fact, my sweet child, you will wind up being able to fit in your kindergarten clothes – ok I’m exaggerating.  But I was the second tallest girl in my kindergarten class and stood in front of Juanita who was the tallest.  

I would say, “I love you.” – have you ever done that?  Looked in the mirror and said to yourself, “I love you?”  It’s hard the first time.  Now I’m a natural.  Please try it.  Look into your own eyes and see what the world sees, in the way the world sees you.  You will be amazed at how beautiful you are.  Your energy comes shining through.  

I would say, Tina, you sparkle when you enter a room.  Your energy and your laugh are infectious.  You will always be stubborn and determined.  Your tenacity will get you through a lot of life’s tough moments.

I would say, Tina, you can stop striving for perfection.  You are perfect for those who love you most.  God made you just as He intended.  How can something be imperfect when formed with that much love?

You will attain all your corporate goals, corner office, management, travel, and find your perfect job where your teammates and Executives appreciate you, see you, value you.  And all those play times that you wanted to be a teacher, well guess what, you will teach people about Technology. 

Tina, yes!  You will find a boyfriend, in fact you will find a husband who adores you and yes, he is Italian, just like Johnny from the Bronx.  (I was infatuated with my older brother’s friend Johnny.  Then Johnny broke my heart when he came to visit us in Queens and brought his fiancé.  My brother and Johnny were 13 years older than me)  

Tina, you will never believe this because why in the world would anyone want to leave the greatest city on earth?  New York City.  You will move.  You will move South.  You will be Southern.

You will live in Buffalo, NY for 10 years.  You will get a Corporate Relo to Greenville, South Carolina and that will be your forever home.  You will own your own restaurants and be known as “little Mrs Moretti” and you will make so many friends.  You will always be shy inside, but you will make sure that because you weren’t comfortable making friends when you were little, you will be the first to say, “hi” and to “make a friend.” So that all feel welcome around you.

I would say, even though you are the Marcia Brady of sports, that’s ok – you can’t be great at everything.  You will still enjoy pushing yourself to be fit and strong. 

You will never be the one in the kitchen.  Mama made sure that you never got “stuck” there, like she did.  She wanted you front and center as the hostess.  What phenomenal preparation for everything you do later in life.

Mama will be your best friend.  You fought that for a long time because she wasn’t “cool” enough.  You had no idea how “cool” she really was and how courageous.  She ends up living with you for 7 years of the latter part of her life and those were the most beautiful years of friendship that anyone could wish for.  

You will not only love your Mama, but you will cherish her.  You will take her to all the places she never got to go – silly little things like McDonalds for the first time or cocktails in Rockefeller Center.  Fun places, like a restaurant at the airport and have a Mimosa before the flight.  You will celebrate all those small things with her.

You will come to recognize how brave Mama was to go all the way from Croatia to the US via a boat that almost capsized only to be saved by an Italian fishing vessel.  There’s a common Italian theme here, I see as I write this.  😊  You will be in awe of your Mama meeting your Dad in a refugee camp and immigrating to the US and creating this great life for you. 

You won’t see it for a long time, but you will, that you are just like Mama.  All those lessons she taught did not go to waste on you, my love.  Your strong work ethic.  Your energy.  Your vibrance, all things inherited from her that make you who you are today.

You’re not going to believe this, but you will get to see almost all the continents of the world.  You will go to Israel, Thailand, Paris, Mexico, Canada, South Africa…and there’s more to come.

You will still be friends with Debbie Kessler and Barbara Kraus – lifelong friends.

You will have a dog!  

You will not be a lawyer, but you will hold court.

You will fail things; you will fail 2 classes in college – Organic Chem and Calculus.  You will fail friends.  You will fail your relationship.  You will fail Mama at times.  But in the end, you always show up.

You are a great Daughter, Sister, Wife, Aunt, Friend, Colleague, Employee, Business Owner…

Girl, you are FIERCE. XO