Lucca shuffled through the sun-drenched maze of Arezzo, the scent of freshly baked bread mingling with the ever-present tang of forgotten dreams clinging to the ancient alleyways. Unlike the vibrant frescoes adorning the city's churches, Lucca's life felt washed in shades of dimmed light. Born with a facial birthmark that mirrored a swirling constellation, it wasn't the mark that bothered her, but the way it drew curious glances and hushed whispers. "La ragazza sfortunata" – the unlucky girl – they called her.
The whispers were a soundtrack to her life, driving her deeper into the city's forgotten corners, where she found refuge in the sounds of the wind that whispered through the trees that outlined and guarded the village. There, she would close her eyes and feel the ghost of her mother's finger trace the outline of the swirling constellation imprinted onto her skin. She remembered her last conversation with her mom, which brought her as much peace as sadness. "Mommy, why did you give me a boy's name?" Lucca asked her mom as a child," I thought you were a boy, so I had chosen a boy's name. But when I saw your face, I could see an entire universe of light imprinted like God's stamp onto your precious face, my love. I knew your name was still meant to be Lucca, which means bringer of the light."
One sunny afternoon, an old man passed her. He whispered "brutta," which meant ugly, under his breath as he moved ungracefully past her like an old and heavy sac of bones. Her eyes began to tear, and mysteriously, even though it was sunny, the sky began to weep with compassion for her.
Lucca escaped the downpour of rain and stumbled upon a dusty bookshop tucked away in a forgotten nook. A flash of color caught her eye – a butterfly, its wings a swirling kaleidoscope with shimmering iridescence, flitted between the towering shelves. Lucca was curious and felt a glimmer emerge amidst her sadness. Something ignited within her. She followed the butterfly deeper into the shop, where a warm, golden glow pulsed from behind a towering bookshelf.
The woman who emerged looked slightly severe, yet it was as though she held the wisdom of countless sunrises in her forest-colored kind eyes. Lines etched around her face spoke of a life lived fully, and a smile curved her lips that whispered prayers answered and lessons learned. "Lost in the storm, are we, little one?" she asked in a voice that resonated with the calming rhythm of Gregorian chants Lucca had heard echoing through the cathedrals on Sundays.
Lucca looked down and saw a flyer on the table where the old dusty cashier sat at the front of the shop. It read "Spiritual life coaching." Incredulous, Lucca stammered quietly under her breath, "I don't need some spiritual life coach." At that moment, Lucca realized her face was still wet and salty as a tear dripped into her mouth. She suddenly remembered what she had only forgotten for a moment; that she was still "la ragazza sfortunanta." Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill their salty truth onto the worn floorboard of the shop. The whispers about being "unlucky" gnawed at her. "Why should I have the fate of being unlucky?" she thought. "My mother did die, so maybe it's true." She glanced down at the flyer again to give it a second thought. "A spiritual life coach, really? What is that? It sounds stupid," she thought. (Spiritual life coaches near me, as she'd seen printed on handmade paper, were stacked endlessly on the old, worn countertop.)
"Could this help unravel the knot of negativity that seemed to follow me?" she thought. "No, a spiritual life coach is probably just someone who thinks they are spiritually superior, isn't
Catholic and is perhaps really a witch who reads tea leaves like a gypsy!"
The woman, Stella Luminosa (Luminous Star in Italian), smiled ambiguously. "Perhaps you're ready to rediscover the light that already shines within you, the light of God's love, and the magic that resides within the whispers of nature... Some might call me a spiritual life coach. Still, I am merely a guide to help weary and forgotten souls remember the well-spring of love that is eternally present within them." Stella's words resonated with a truth Lucca hadn't considered. Maybe a spiritual life coach wasn't about fixing her but about helping her find strength within. "Yeah, a guide. If my mother were here, she would guide me too. I like that better." she thought. Intrigued, Lucca nodded her head cautiously in unsure agreement.
Stella Luminosa's methods were unlike anything Lucca had ever encountered. They sat bathed in the warm glow of flickering candles, the scent of frankincense filling the air. Stella spoke of the interconnectedness of all things, the way emotions manifested in the natural world. She guided Lucca through meditations, teaching her to quiet the mind and listen to the subtle language of her soul.
One day, as Lucca sat beneath a canopy of ancient olive trees, a butterfly with wings like a summer sky landed on her outstretched finger. Closing her eyes, she focused on the fluttering of its wings and the gentle sensation against her skin.
Stella's voice, a gentle echo in her mind, encouraged her to "communicate with your heart." Images flooded Lucca's mind—a field of wildflowers swaying in the breeze, a crystalline stream rushing through a hidden valley. At that moment, Lucca understood. The butterfly wasn't just a beautiful creature; it was a conduit, a messenger carrying the whispers of the wind and the earth's secrets. Tentatively, she spoke, "Where does this stream lead?"
There was a moment of silence, then a sensation of a gentle breeze caressing her cheek. The butterfly lifted its wings and then flew in a specific direction. Following its path, Lucca emerged upon a hidden valley, a cascading stream gurgling over smooth stones, just as she had envisioned.
Over time, Lucca's connection grew. Butterflies of all colors became her companions, each carrying a piece of the earth's song. She learned of hidden gardens, weather patterns taken on the wind's breath, and the quiet joy within a blooming flower.
When Lucca walked through her village, she felt so inspired by her connection to herself and nature that she often forgot that butterflies were sitting on her hair and clothes. The stares began to change from pity to curiosity and nosiness. News of "la ragazza sfortunata" began to shift. Whispers, no longer filled with mockery, spoke of her connection with nature, of her ability to "talk to butterflies."
The townspeople started talking to her and were interested in who she was, not the swirling universe on her face. Lucca, once ostracized, found solace with the townspeople instead of alone in the forgotten corners and outskirts of the village.
One particularly scorching summer day, the sun beat down on the parched earth, turning the streets of Arezzo into shimmering mirages. Crops wilted, and a stifling heat hung heavy in the air. As Lucca sat beneath the shade of a lone oak tree, a group of farmers approached her, their faces etched with worry. Lucca thought they were coming to shoo her from their land. This wasn't the case; their harvest was in jeopardy without rain, and they were merely checking up on their land.
Taking a deep breath, Lucca closed her eyes and focused on the gentle fluttering of a butterfly that landed on her hand. Stella's voice, a comforting echo in her mind, reminded her, "The wind carries the whispers of the earth. Listen closely, feel its breath, and speak your truth."
At this moment, Lucca wished for the rain to help the farmers. She pictured the plump rain clouds she'd seen carried by the wind in her butterfly visions. Tentatively, she whispered, "Wind, brother of the butterflies, I sense your strength. Please, carry the rain clouds from the west; bring life back to our thirsty land." There was a moment of stillness, then a subtle shift. A gentle breeze moved the leaves, carrying a coolness that hadn't been present moments before. The coolness felt nice on Luccas's face amidst the dry, humid air. The farmers watched in awe as a wisp of cloud appeared on the horizon, growing larger and darker as the wind shifted. Lucca wondered if the townspeople would turn on her and call her a witch, so she ensured she was unnoticed, got up, and walked home.
By nightfall, a gentle rain had begun to fall, nourishing the parched earth and whispering a melody of relief. Lucca watched the rain pouring from her bedroom window, happy for the first time in a long time.