A century of life lived to the full, but also of sacrifice and dignity. Today, Simaxis celebrates the 100th birthday of Odilia Fadda, known to all as Aunt Odilia : she is the town's new centenarian.
She blew out her hundredth birthday candles surrounded by the love of her loved ones. For the occasion, she also received a visit from Mayor Ignazio Addari, who presented her with a commemorative plaque.
Growing up in a large family of seven children—four boys and three girls—the village grandmother experienced firsthand the hardships of those without many resources. As she herself recounts, her father, a fisherman, tried to earn just enough to live, and young Odilia helped him every day : she would sell her catch to the village's wealthier families and bring home a few pieces of bread.
To help pay for the household expenses, she didn't hesitate to head up the slopes of Monte Arci to gather bundles of wood and carry them to the village. Aunt Odilia accompanied the long and arduous journey with prayers to find the strength to overcome her exhaustion.
With her marriage and her work as a farmer, Aunt Odilia continued to roll up her sleeves . Widowed in 2008, she raised and educated six children with courage and the strength of her hands.
When asked the secret to blowing out a hundred candles with this spirit, Aunt Odilia responds with her sweet smile and the wisdom of someone who has lived through the twentieth century while always standing tall: "It's beautiful to grow old." A message of hope and a precious lesson for the entire Simaxis community, who, on the occasion of her hundredth birthday, wished her many happy days.
