Passionate Mondays

Whew! This is going to be one of my toughest posts yet. I'll jump right into it - my Mom has less than two weeks to live and I'm headed up to Santa Barbara to be with her and my Dad through these final days. What a genuine privilege for me. I've spoken or written to many people these last few weeks about death, and the saddest stories I've heard are about the people that could not be with their parents when they died. Again, I feel privileged, but also comforted, knowing that going through this experience, I am just like every other human being out there. So, my personal struggle is how to maintain my passion for life, my presence in the moment while going through this trying time? How can I inspire myself and others to lead passionate lives? (I will warn you now, given my fuzzy-state-of-mind, I'm not certain if I can express clearly enough what I am feeling, but will give it a try.)

Today, I am choosing doors as my way to find my passion. Right about now you are saying to yourself, "Doors! What the *(&%#$@ is she talking about?" Stay with me, okay? I have a friend, Christie, who is a beautiful writer and person. Like me, she is fascinated by doors and windows. I wish I had her exact words here, because they would be so much more profound than mine, but she describes doors and windows as portals or passages to...

places
times
the soul
beginnings
incredible views
possibilities
transitions
changes
learning
the future

At this moment in my life, I am poised on a doorway, about to leave this time period of summoning up courage and fearlessness as I help my mom and ready to enter another phase of life, sans mother. This doorway marks a specific passage in life and in time for me.

I also have another way of using doors as a metaphor to view this death and dying process. One of my favorite sayings is that whenever one door closes, another one opens. When one life passes through that portal where only the dying go, and the door closes leaving loved ones behind, I like to believe that they are leaving us another open door, or an opportunity. We have a chance to take the lessons learned through the dying process to help us live more fully - to walk through that new, open door. I know everyone feels this phenomenon when they experience the death of a loved one - those lessons that scream at us in the moment to make everyday count, to make life count, to live life to its fullest because we have no guarantee of time. Sadly, few hold onto those feelings permanently. I am praying that I will be one of those few.

Just the other day, my sister's spiritual teacher reminded her of a similar lesson about living fully, siting the example that we usually only greet dear friends and loved ones enthusiastically when we haven't seen them for a long while. Why don't we greet them enthusiastically, with passion, every time we see them? We never know when it may be our last chance to show them our love.

I feel comfort in knowing that I am not alone in either process - losing a parent or struggling with how to live more passionately. As human beings, we all share the same challenges. We all face the same doorway and have a choice whether or not to pass through it - the door marked "To a Passionate Life" or "Make Each Day Count". I hope I remember to always choose that door and to step through it everyday.

Which doorway are you poised to pass through? Which portal are you afraid to enter? Do you have an image of a window or doorway that inspires passion for life for you?


Have a passionate Monday (and life) and don't forget to make today and everyday count and let your loved ones know that you are happy to be sharing life's journey with them.

Fall Events in Italy

I just caught wind of a few more fall events should any of you be lucky enough to be spending some time in Italy in the next few months.

Festa dell'Uva a Capoliveri, October 5-7, Capoliveri, Isola d'Elba: Now this is one Festa I would love to attend - it is a celebration of the harvest involving tasting of local wines and produce on the beautiful island of Elba. Each quarter of the city of Capoliveri challenges the others, dressing in historical outfits from many different periods. See www.elba-capoliveri.net for more information.

Gusto Balsamico, October 19-22, Modena, Emilia Romagna: Yet another one that makes me drool! A Fair celebrating vinegars and pickles from around the world. The festival is supported by Slow Food Italia and of course will showcase the local Balsamic Vinegar. There will be celebrations all over the city including an auction of antique vinegars, concerts and pasta competitions. I'm hoping someone out there goes to this and reports on it! See www.gustobalsamico.it for more on information.

Festa dell'Uva, October 20, Merano, Sud Tirol: Another celebration of the grape harvest in a breathtaking region - the Dolomites. The festival features a parade of citizens dressed in Tyrolean costumes, floats and concerts. See www.meran.eu for more information.

Festival Verdi, October 1-28, Parma, Emilia Romagna: At the Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Verdi di Busseto and Teatro Comunale di Modena featuring the operas of Oberto, Luisa Miller and La Traviata. See www.teatroregioparma.org for more information.

The Police, October 2, Turin: They're on their "Greatest Hits" tour after a 20-year hiatus. See www.thepolicefile.com for more information.

Buon Viaggio!

Passionate Mondays

Today I am feeling passionate about fearlessness.

This is an Indian mudra for fearlessness. Every time I use this hand position, or mudra, I feel fearless. My hand is relaxed and open. I am ready to receive and handle whatever comes my way in an open and calm manner. I also feel protected, with my hand in front of me, so that I can go through my fears, knowing that I am safe, eventually reaching the other side of the fear having received lessons and knowledge. Try it. What do you feel?

“The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” - Louis Boone

“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” - Grace Murray Hopper

And this one I picked up from my dear friend Brian, who is one of the most fearless people I know and a real role model for me in my pursuit of fearlessness and passion. Tanti auguri, Brian Lane!:

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your rivers…meander through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets’ towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl…”
-Edward Abbey

May you have a fearless and passionate Monday!

Banana Bread

Maybe it's all that is going on in my life, or maybe because it is fall, or some of both that is making me crave baking. Baking has always been such a soothing, zen-like activity that it calms me. So this afternoon, I baked Jeni's Banana Bread and Ilva's Prune Cake (go to June 2007 for her recipe), the former for my husband and the latter for me.

What does Banana Bread have to do with Italy, travel, Italian food and wine? Nothing, absolutely nothing. It does, however, fall into my category of "other things that make up la bella vita." I suppose there is one thing Italian about Banana Bread, my Italian husband is addicted to it, so much so that I make it at least twice a month. When we eat something that frequently, it had better be fairly healthy, or I won't make it. Over the years, I have developed a recipe that suits our tastes and is much healthier than the average version. I hope you will like it.

Jeni's Banana Bread
makes one loaf

2 eggs

3 Tbsp. softened butter

3 Tbsp. light olive oil

1/4 cup honey or sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

4 very ripe bananas

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a loaf pan with buttered parchment paper (this part is optional, but it never sticks this way!)

Beat eggs in a large bowl with the butter and oil. Add the honey or sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the bananas. Add the 1 cup of white flour and stir. Add the salt, baking soda and baking powder and stir. Stir in the wheat flour and nuts. Do not over stir. Pour batter in prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out dry and the top of the loaf is golden brown. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a rack.

Be creative and experiment: use other nuts, add coconut, add dried fruit, etc.

NB: When we have very ripe bananas, I throw them in the freezer (just as they are, do not wrap.) Then when I need to bake this bread, I take four of them out and they thaw in about one hour. They turn black in the freezer and look ugly, but I assure you the ripe fruit is perfect inside.

Tree as Animal

Tiger stripes....
and dragon spikes... Oh my!!!