People often view food as either an opiate or an enemy; in Paula Butturini’s case it was like a hero. It served as the only constant in a life that was filled with despair, depression, suicide and so much more.
Imagine in a three year period, during which you were severely beaten during a peaceful march in Prague by Czechoslovakian police, your husband was shot by a sniper in Romania, and then your mother committed suicide. This was the life of Paula Butturini, a journalist of international affairs and author of the memoir “Keeping the Feast”.
She spoke at Fairfield University on Thursday afternoon and discussed not only her book, but also the tragic events in her life. “[My memoir deals with] talking about the unspeakable by way of the edible,” she said as she introduced the memoir. Butturini explained how food was the key aspect because it was the unifying member of her family. From family dinners on Sunday at her grandparents to spending time in the garden, she explained how food ties us into creation, our cells tied to our spirit. This idea of food as a center played into her life later on as well.
During her husband’s struggles with mental disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, the only peaceful time they shared was around the table. The three meals they ate together daily were the only moments they sat in some sort of harmony.
Throughout her talk, Butturini was very composed and kept her emotions in check as the audience filling the library media room listened trying to comprehend her life story, unable to control their’s. She spoke about tales of hardships that the majority of people will never experience; yet she dealt with in a such a short span of time.
As her closing remarks, Butturini advised the audience on the seriousness of mental illness. “If clinical depression strikes, hang on until the end, like a fever it eventually will break,” she said. She then gave her audience warning signs and things to look for in those possibly battling depression and what to do.
Sophomore Megan Vigliotti said, “I thought the presentation would be more related to Italian, but she is a good speaker who is very comfortable at telling her story.” Others stated that they weren’t aware of the purpose this presentation before attending, and were shocked at what they found.
Gianna Marro’13 said, “Originally I came here for extra credit, but I was truly moved by her speech, this woman has been through so much and its is very commendable that she’s standing strong and trying to help others.”
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