MILAN — Whether it be a champagne-soaked World Series celebration or the emotion of an Olympic medalist’s rejoice, I often wonder if it gets any better than witnessing the catharsis of a champion. It feels like one of the few moments in life where one can truly witness an achievement being celebrated with pure, euphoric jubilation. And we can count on it to happen every year in every sport—or for some, every four.
But for us mere mortals, we must settle for subtler moments of joy. Some have the best year of their life; others, similar to Olympians, experience that one summer (or winter) that changed everything. And for some of us, there are but fleeting memories that we can look back upon as destiny-altering. For me, those came in Milan 15 years ago. Milan with its grand boulevards of stoic chaos. Part Paris and part Naples. Milan, the fashion capital and heart of the storied Italian classical music tradition.
