(not necessarily in that order)
Saw this on Facebook and it really hit home. I’ve allowed too many opportunities to pass me by because I didn’t feel “ready”. But waiting to feel completely “ready” can become a way to avoid ever actually living one’s life.
It reminds me of a quote I heard years and years ago: “Don’t die with your potential intact”.
Ready or not…just GO!
Then there are those who are absolutely convinced that their “reality” is The Only Reality. I don’t have any studies to back this up, but my guess is that a lot of the people who fall into this way of thinking have only lived in one place (usually a small one).
An example that comes to mind is a gentleman from the intensive Italian course I attended for five months when I lived in Lugano. He was Swiss-German but had lived in Boston for two years, which — in his mind at least — made him an expert on all things American!
He was convinced that he knew about all of America based on his brief experience of Boston. When questions about America came up in class, he would answer them. Despite having lived all my life in America, I was roundly ignored (oooh, it used to make me so mad)!
But you see, he fell into the trap of thinking that what he was able to see, touch, hear, and taste was the sum total of “reality”.
What a dramatic difference between my Tuesday morning “reality” and my Wednesday morning “reality”!
My reality for a month was mountains, lakes, lush greenery, and lots of people (all speaking Italian!); then this morning I’m back in the reality of forested hills, dried up grass, rustic living, and a very quiet, tranquil environment.
It’s easy to think that one’s present reality is the only reality, because it looks and feels so…well, real! Which is why traveling the world is so useful; one begins to perceive that there are an infinite variety of “realities”, depending not only on location but also the perception and perspective of each individual.
Towards the end of a solid month in Lugano I had to concentrate hard to remember details of our apartment here at the Village; it almost didn’t seem “real” any more!
I love the concept of the Divine Lila, or “God’s play”. The great masters tell us that this is all God’s dream, and — in fact — it sometimes seems to me as though my other “realities” have gone away while I’m away from them. It’s kind of fun to play with that thought: when I’m not there to observe it, does my apartment just dissolve back into undifferentiated bliss?!?
Okay, this is one of “those” posts. I started writing after we had arrived in Copenhagen, having completed the first leg of our trip. Now we’re in Chicago, about to board our flight to Sacramento.
I’m quite certain I won’t have the energy or bandwidth to write once we arrive home sometime around midnight, so this is it!
It’s going on midnight. We leave super early tomorrow. The last three days have been full to the brim with activity and our stomachs have been kept full to the brim with delicious food! As sad as we are to leave this, our second home, we’re pretty much ready to take a break from eating!
Saturday
As usual we had lunch at Silvio’s house (that’s Ramesha’s dad, who loves to feed us when we’re here). Not so usual is that there were two desserts: homemade cake with figs from the garden and pine nuts (thanks, Graziella!) and homemade tiramisu (thanks, Fulvio!).
For dinner we were invited to the home of the Sala family, just outside of Como. It took three years to arrange, but it was an absolutely delightful evening, which also featured two desserts (a custard cake with fresh fruit and another cake with marmallata (jam) using fruit from the Sala family’s garden!
Sunday
Lunch at “Ristorante Silvio” featured handmade gnocchi di zucca (gnocchi made with pumpkin) and only one dessert (thank goodness!).
We went to dinner with Fulvio (Ramesha’s brother) and had the final pizza of the trip (yum!).
Monday
Lunch was a simple — but delicious — pasta al pomodoro.
For dinner we were at Dudo and Karin’s for bruschetta, insalata, and more pasta.
I should mention that lunch almost always includes a plate with a variety of Swiss cheeses — and I don’t mean what we Americans think of as “Swiss cheese”! I’ve never seen that cheese in any Swiss home in the fifteen years that I’ve been living in/visiting Switzerland. No, this is a selection of cheeses from different regions and it’s sooo good!
[By the way, “basta” in Italian means “enough!”] 🙂
It’s almost time to say our good-byes; almost time to fly home to California in order to return to “regular” life.
It’s always hard to leave our Lugano family and dear friends, despite the fact that we’re going back to be with other family and dear friends! In fact, we are extremely fortunate in that wherever we go there are people we love, and who love us in return.
We’re sad, but we know in our hearts that — truly — there’s nothing to be sad about: we’re carrying all the people we love with us in our hearts, wherever we go.
I’m going to miss seeing this view during my walk to and from the car every day. Three more nights and then home to California!
It’s taken an extra day to share my touristy pics due to yesterday’s post being in honor of Swami Kriyananda’s discipleship anniversary.
But now…back to Wednesday’s tourist adventures!
Part 1
Cappuccino and brioche with Peter and Aanadi in Locarno.
Part 2
Santuario Madonna del Sasso. A long ways down…and back up! It’s very touching to see the many expressions of gratitude for answered prayers; “G.R.” stands for Grazia Ricevuta (or Grace Received) through the intercession of the Madonna. I have lots more photos of the beautiful interior, but they’ll have to wait for another time…
Part 3
Ascona, where we celebrated our 15th anniversary next to Lago Maggiore. We ate a delicious pizza in company with a cute (and fearless) little bird!
Honoring Swami Kriyananda on the 71st anniversary of his discipleship. I’m so grateful to Swamiji for demonstrating what it means to be a true disciple.
Today was our most intensive tourist day yet!
Part 1
Met our friends from Assisi (Peter and Aanadi) in Locarno, where they’ve been visiting family. It was lovely connecting with them over coffee and brioche in a beautiful cafe right by the lake.
Part 2
Ramesha and I drove up the mountainside to Orselina, parked the car, and walked down a ton of steps in order to visit the beautiful church at Santuario Madonna del Sasso. Then we walked back up all those steps!
Part 3
Next stop Ascona — where we finally celebrated our 15th anniversary at Lago Maggiore by eating a delicious pizza. A cute little bird even kept us company.
I have a ton of pictures, but I’m too tired to post them tonight.
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I’ll post pics tomorrow!
It’s only a day away…!