I've been reading another book called "Eat, Pray, Love". It is about a woman who, after a crushing divorce and a failed shall we say, rebound relationship, decides to travel the three I's, that is Italy, India and Indonesia. As a writer, her plan is to write a book chronicling her adventures and experiences. As you may have gathered, she is back from her trip and the book is finished. Else what would I be reading? So right now, I am only in the first part, Italy. The reason that I bring this up, is because, as her reason for being there is to learn the beautiful language of Italy, she peppers the pages with phrases that she loves the sound or meaning of. And when I am reading, I like to jot down phrases or statements that appeal to me and so here is one, "il belle far niente". Now you must, even if you are reading to yourself, imagine that you are repeating it with the most authentic Italian accent that you are able to muster. It doesn't mean that you will be able to decipher the meaning any better, only that you may, for just a moment, leave your life and taste of hers. Anyway, enough of that and I suppose that you are going to begin mumbling at some point, "what the heck does it mean?". Patience grasshopper, patience, for it means, "the fine art of doing nothing".
The fine art of doing nothing. I think the reason that I like it is because it is something that I am learning to do at this stage in my life. I have always been driven to a point. Using my crossed off to do list as proof that I am worth while, that there is a point that I am here, taking up space on this planet. I used to do that all the time, the to-do lists on the backs of envelopes, folded pieces of paper. As I was making the initial list, I often tried to write the projects down in the most practical order of doing, keeping in mind that I didn't want to waste time and as one was being checked off, a new job was added to the end of the list. Then at bedtime, instead of taking stock of the day and giving myself a mental pat on the back for "jobs" well done, I was usually planning what would be on the list for tomorrow. So the fine art of doing nothing was simply not a phrase that had any room in my vocabulary.
But now, I am slowing down and quite honestly, the energy doesn't seem to be there for big, long to-do lists, nor the enthusiasm. Now I am beginning to look around the house and pick one thing that I will tackle at some point during the day, and strangely, that seems to be enough. The year and a half of living in the apartment had a great deal to do with this I think, because, quite honestly, there wasn't enough room to get into projects, so it was sort of a forced learning process for which I think that I am glad. The fine art of doing nothing....
The result is that soon I will have time to make my bread and enjoy the process without feeling like there are other things that I should be attending to at the same time. What seems to happen in those instances is that I walk out of the kitchen after I've mixed up that loaf and it goes completely out of my mind and when that happens....well let me just say that when cooking or baking is left unattended halfway through the process, no one is happy with the outcome!
Speaking of my bread, I finally have worked out a recipes that gives me one loaf that fits perfectly into my little convection oven. Not too big (so that I get two striped burn marks on the top) and not too small (so that your sandwiches would fit into a "Borrowers" lunchbox), just right. Maybe I should call it the Goldilocks loaf.
Anyway, love to you all and I hope that your having lovely days, wherever you are.
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