In the quaint heart of my shop, nestled among the rolling hills of Umbria, my world of philosophy and physics collided with reality in the most unexpected way.
For years, my spare time was consumed by the enigmatic charms of the universe, and still are, my mind dancing between the pages of Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe" and Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History Of Time." and many others.
These weren't just books; they were portals into realms that stretched my imagination beyond the confines of my little world.
Amidst these intellectual wanderings, I crafted a unique piece: a ceramic plate adorned with the solar system, equations swirling among the stars, a tangible piece of my newfound passion. It was a small simple plate, not a real masterpiece, often overlooked among the more conventional items in my shop.
Then, one day in 2017, a woman stepped into my sanctuary of curiosities. Her eyes, bright with a scientist's curiosity, landed on the celestial plate. "Why that price?" she inquired, her tone a blend of intrigue and skepticism. She revealed it was intended for a physicist friend, but alas, the stars did not align, and she left without it.
Months passed, and the plate remained, a silent sentinel of the cosmos amidst earthenware. That was until an English couple, basking in the Umbrian sun, wandered in. While they perused, the husband, a man with the air of academia about him, gravitated towards my cosmic creation. "This is perfect for our friend," he declared, his voice laced with a reverence usually reserved for sacred relics.
Intrigued, I asked, "Is your friend a physicist?"
He smiled, a knowing, almost playful glimmer in his eyes. "Yes, he's Stephen Hawking."
"Sì, certo!" I laughed, my Italian skepticism on full display. But his affirmation, sincere and proud, struck a chord in me. Stephen Hawking? The Stephen Hawking?
The emotions that welled up within me were a maelstrom of awe, disbelief, and an unnamable sense of connection to the cosmos I so dearly admired. It was as if the universe had conspired to diminish the distance between a humble artisan and the giants of science.
Insisting on gifting the plate, I refused payment - "How dare I?" The very thought seemed a disservice to the moment. In return, he promised a photograph of Hawking with my creation, a request to which I eagerly agreed.
As they left, the bell above the door chimed, echoing like distant stars colliding. I stood there, holding the promise of a picture, feeling as if my humble shop had, for a brief moment, touched the edges of the universe.
The plate, born from a blend of curiosity and clay, had traversed the intellectual cosmos, only to find its place in the hands of a legend. And I, a mere spectator in the grand theatre of the universe, had played my part in this cosmic dance.
In that instant, Hawking's words from his book echoed in my mind: "Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet." In crafting that plate, perhaps, without knowing, I had done just that.
GR