That's Amore

By Rebecca Weitzel

Pacifica Belleair was entertained and delighted by the Fun Time Singers who came to perform for us a couple of weeks ago.  Singing many songs including Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and Elvis’ “Love Me Tender”, our residents and care givers alike were  clapping and tapping along with the music.  The highlight for me was when one of our residents opened up and belted out the refrain to “That’s Amore”.   Perhaps this isn’t so exciting, but when you consider that this lady hardly speaks anymore, it was quite a surprise to hear her lovely voice belting out “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore”!  Her face was beaming, her hands were waving in expression to the words and when I asked her if she liked the music, she lit up into a big smile and said, “Yes, I was remembering!”  It made me think of how hearing a certain song can sweep us all back in time. Pat Benatar whisks me back to my freshman year in college, The Eagles, well that’s high school and of course there is that special song that takes me back to my minivan, loaded with my school age kids, all of us singing at the top of our lungs to Billy Ray Cyrus’, “Achy Breaky Heart”!  Even today, when that song comes on, each of us will start singing (yes, at the top of our lungs!), inharmoniously, but loudly and enthusiastically nonetheless.  Now, thanks to the Fun Time Singers and a lovely lady, another memory has been cemented; from now on, when I hear “That’s Amore”, I will be reminded of the sweet woman who lives at Pacifica and wonder what memory she relives as she’s transported back in time and hears “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie….that’s amore”!

Contributing author Rebecca Weitzel is the Community Relations Coordinator for Pacifica Senior Living Belleair in Clearwater, Florida.