hitting the pause button, in tuscany

"You may have the universe...if I may have...ITALY!"

—Guiseppe Verdi

       Our homebase is the 14th-century walled hill town of Montepulciano, where we try to coordinate our long-term rental villa apartment with the annual celebration of the fall's olive harvest.

      From travel guru Rick Steves, we learned years back to adopt the travel concept of becoming "Temporary Locals," in which you immerse yourself in all things local. So, Lynne and I make a point to learn names, memorize local maps, attempt to speak passable Italian, dive into local lore, customs, history and lifestyle.

      Mostly it's about developing and maintaining relationships, so this time around, we could walk into Giuseppe’s shop, call him by name, and be greeted in return with "Buongiorno, Lynne y Giacomo!"

      Lynne and I came here first in 2015, to celebrate our 70th birthdays and our 20th wedding anniversary. Now, on our eighth return here—our Italian home away from home—our love for this place has only been all the more reinforced.

      We ask ourselves, what is it about Montepulciano that keeps us coming back to this 14th century walled hill town, where pedestrians rule—and cars, if any, creep through tiny cobbled streets? After all, it is devoid of many of the American commercial conveniences like Costco, McDonalds, Walmart, Talbots, Starbucks or Best Buy.

      So what draws us back inexorably? Is it the food, the wine, the incomparable scenery of the Tuscan vineyards and olive groves? Or is it the people, and the relationships we've developed over the years?

      Of course, it's the "peeps" as my daughter calls it. It's Giacomo, the innkeeper; Silvio, the puppet-maker; Claudio, the olive farmer; Alexi, the fishmonger; Virio Neri, the cobbler/shoemaker; Giuseppe, the opera-singing shopkeeper; Daniella, the 7th-generation winemaker; Cesare, the coppersmith; and cafe owners Beatrice and Claudia at the Four Winds (Ai Quattro Venti) who will find a table for us no matter what.

      Yes, it is that and more. To borrow a phrase from Daniel Klein, "Life here is lived Andante." Indeed a "walking pace" is an apt phrase, for every evening the locals turn out to see and be seen in the daily rite of passage known as the "passeggiata," walking leisurely, strolling arm in arm with loved ones with no particular place to go.

      So, it is the pace, the tempo, the lifestyle that we find irresistible. That people matter over profits, that relationships are beloved, that friends are true and work is undertaken to support life—la dolce vita indeed. The sweet life. And even more to the point, is the expression "Il dolce far niente"—the sweetness of doing nothing.

      Yes, we come here to hit the pause button, slow down, take stock, reflect and restart afresh. 

      The insights gained from a solid month in Montepulciano? If we can't live here year-round, then what can Lynne and I bring back home from Tuscany that will enrich our lives and make our retirement years more robust, joyful and authentic?

      In a phrase, it's the daily awareness of "Gusto di vivere!" The appreciation for the "joy of life."

      The Italian version of mindfulness. After all, we're all on borrowed time. So, as the clock winds down, Lynne and I are trying to make the precious moments count.

      I started with a great quote and I'll end with one; It's from Anthony Doerr, in his book, "Four Seasons In Rome."

      "Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience—buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello— become new all over again."