Lessons from Italy
I sit in Tuscany, at Debbie Travis' villa with eighteen women. Knowing me, you know that eighteen women is 15 more than I'm used to being with at one time. When I'm around so much estrogen I go quiet. It's not that I'm shy, or afraid, or am not used to being in these environments. It's because I believe in substance. Quality over quantity. So I'm a little quieter than they I am used to! And that's okay because through this time of rest and renewal I am taking in my surroundings and learning the ways of the Tuscans.
I've learned alot from Debbie this past week. Things that I will likely think about years from now, and things that will impact me as early as tomorrow. I am in awe of this land. The beauty that has somehow been conserved within this environment is stunning. Above all the passion that I feel in every building, every shop, through every person is magnifying.
They are happy people above all, and that is something that is so great to be around. We take happiness for granted in our world. We want more, we are driven by superficial success. We can be greedy, we can be selfish, we can be ruthless. And I'm sure there are some greedy, selfish and ruthless people here too. But when you are living off your land and feeding your family with the vegetation that is growing in your back yard, you think a little differently. You smell the lavendar in your hands with such awe - after all you grew it! You pick each olive off the tree and hand press it into oils. You sit around the dinner table with your entire family and have your home made wine. It is so beautiful because it is pure. It is pure bliss this type of happiness.
Bliss I define as peace. Being at peace with not only yourself but your surroundings. Being one with the environment around you and having those that believe in your dreams around you. This place has made me yearn for bliss. Yearn for that life that I dream of. And a key piece is that this life is not focused around monetary reward. It is focused around emotional reward. Being blessed with love, with family, with peace, and calmness. I do think hard work and monetary rewards are a part of bliss, but bliss isn't about things. It's about feelings. Bliss is in simplicity. Bliss is in your heart, in your soul. It is everything. It is everywhere. Bliss is what I reach for every day, what I look for in life, where I want to go.
With bliss comes this idea of simplicity. I'm with a man who is in love with the simple pleasures in life. He is more than content sitting on the couch with me, a box of pizza, a glass of great tasting water, and just chatting the night away. He doesn't need much to be happy. His idea of our future is on a lake, hand in hand, with our children kayaking through the water. I have wondered about this future as I am someone who has often wanted to live in the hustle and bustle of the city. Being here, with these people, in nature and around bliss, has shown me that it is a key part of what I want, what I need, and what I yearn for. A simple life with love and bliss. That is what I want for my future. To be creatively stimulated of course, to be a business owner of course, but does that mean I move to New York and run a fortune five hundred company? This has tought me that it is far from that - it means I want to own a restaurant, a vineyard, a gallery, an antique shop - it really doesn't matter what it is as long as it's creative, beautiful, simple and mine. That is my bliss.
My youth has been very evident while I have been here. For many years I've seen my youth as a deterrant. It is something that I have tried to drive attention away from. But during this time I have come to the realization that my youth is a strength. I have youthful exuberance and the naivety / excitement that comes with knowing my life is ahead of me. Knowing that my best years are yet to come, and I have so much to look forward to. Being around a woman like Debbie has made me realize that you need drive. you need hard work, you need to take risks, but you don't need to stress about where you are going if your value system and dreams are intact. My youth allows me to reach for those stars and my support system will stand with me while I do so.
Finally, a word I have heard over and over again today has been respect. We were cooking our own lunch this afternoon (or a portion of our lunch I should say) and handsome Chef Francesco kept talking about how you must respect the tomatoes.. you must respect the olive oil.. you must respect the meat. The Italians really do believe in respect for nature and for what they are growing with their own hands. They respect seasonality, they respect good wine, they respect each other. Debbie is a multi millionaire, but the girls she employs at her villa are like her family. There is two way respect with all people no matter who they are. And with that respect comes honour, comes friendship, comes trust.
This land is beautiful, the bliss I feel is beautiful. I am excited to go home and back to my world, but I go home changed in a way that has mentally prepared me for the future I plan to create. I am ready to follow my dreams, and above all I am ready to feel bliss for my whole life.
