La Dolce Vita

"Bella Vista, no?" said the gray haired Italian gentleman. David and I were walking back to our carved out of a mountain parking spot in Cortona, and the Tuscan light made us pause. The valley, farms, olive trees, villas and churches were all bathed in a golden glow of pre sunset making the picturesque landscape breath taking. For a long moment the three of us were caught up in it's magic. And then he nodded his head and we turned towards the car saying 'Buono Sera".

"And then Lindsay, I went to the party and even though I wasn't looking forward to it - Oh my God it was so much fun!", said the two American college students walking behind me on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. The jewel box shops filled with gold jewelery, the lone rower as he broke the surface of the Arno, all were lost on the young ladies.

As the high speed train returned us to Figline from Fierenze, I reflected on both encounters. The second was the familiar and easy. It could have be me and a friend. Happily discussing the previous evening's activities. Walking, talking and texting at the same time. Multi-tasking as we rush to our fast food and fast lives.

The second was less so. When we happened on the gentleman at the mountain overlook, he was quietly enjoying a view that it seemed he had seen many times before. And the thrill was the same - whether this was the first our 1001st time. Those of you who know and love me, realizes this is not standard operating procedure for Pam. How often in my garden have I focused on the single weed rather than the multitude of flowers? Or while seated on the front porch overlooking Lake Huron, did I run and get my computer so I could I check email one more time before going to bed? Or pick up a cell phone call and interupt a perfectly lovely conversation with someone I care about who was right in front of me.

La dolce vita. The sweet life. Mine is, but could it be sweeter, richer? Perhaps tomorrow's Tuscan sunset will remind of exactly that. The bella vista in my own dolce vita.

More to come....