I am still reveling in the glow of the two-week Tuscan vacation in Italy that we took last month. All day, things make me smile, as I pause to mentally sift through memories of our superb holiday. As mentioned and displayed in my last post, we spent time in Cinque Terre, Florence, and the surrounding Chianti area. Then, the latter part of our trip we traveled to the southern region of Tuscany, the UNESCO heritage protected valley of Val d’Orcia. Known for its breathtaking landscapes and picturesque villages, this is the area of Italy that I had longed dreamed of visiting. Quintessential Tuscany. Cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves, undulating hills, winding roads, farmhouses, fortresses. The region is so stunningly beautiful that pictures barely do it justice. I mean, you cannot even imagine how delightful and peaceful it is to stand in person on vast green rolling hills, absorbing the rural surroundings.
Today, I was sorting through my photos, trying to pick the best of the best to show you. I narrowed down to 52 pictures, but, alas, that’s too many to post; so, you will just get a snippet from my collection. And, a story. Of course you’ll get a story.
Lest you tire of landscapes, I’m throwing in a few shots from quaint medieval walled villages. The villages are scattered on hilltops all throughout Val d’Orcia. Each has its own personality and history. Our favorite was the village we stayed in -- San Quirico d'Orcia. But, you can’t go wrong visiting any of them.
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Now, a story, as promised…
One day we ventured outside of Tuscany to visit Assisi. While I’m not Catholic, I have always appreciated St. Francis of Assisi. Patron Saint of Animals, the Environment, and Italy itself, St. Francis represents man’s service to God, to man, and to the world in which we live. There are wonderful stories of Francis giving up a life of wealth, living in poverty, helping his fellow man, and leading by example. He had a way with animals and preached of man’s responsibility as caretakers of Earth and its inhabitants. He was even reported to have tamed a wolf that was terrorizing his village. Centuries ago, he laid groundwork for the environmental movement and promoted stewardship of the natural world. All kinds of respect for this 12th century Man of God.
As we visited The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, we moved along with throngs of people who came to show their respect and love for the patron saint. Many visitors were having religious moments, and everyone else tried to be courteous, quiet, and well-behaved. But, you know how crowds can be. The low hum of conversations grew louder and louder as the minutes ticked by. Then suddenly, from above, speakers expelled a long, distinct, soothing
The sound lasted about 10 seconds, then tapered off slowly into silence. It was amazingly effective and quieting. The crowd immediately shushed, as people remembered their place. A calmness fell upon us all. As time went by, however, people became more animated again, voices carrying, hubbub beginning. Here came another
Over and over again, always at the appropriate time. No harsh correction, just a tender message to crowds of people: "Think about where you are." We wondered if the message might be on timer, or if someone was monitoring the noise level. Whichever it was, the SHHHH was a beautiful reminder, in all languages, to treat the hallowed ground with dignity and respect. I loved it.
So, let’s do a little experiment. I want you to try it now. Start by making a significant SHHHH sound out loud. C’mon you can do it. Hold the SHHHH for a count of 10 or so (or as long as you can hold your breathe), diminishing the volume as you get near the end, so that it fades off into silence.
Yes? What do you think?
I find that exercise to be extremely calming and centering. Do you? I would like to remind myself to SHHHH when I begin to feel tense, overwhelmed, hyper, over-stimulated, etc. I think the most important part of SHHHH is winding down into silence. This is not a stern schoolmarm SHHHH, but a gentle, encouraging
Isn’t that lovely?
Let’s finish up with a few more Tuscan landscapes, because--well, just because. I hope you feel the calmness and serenity I am sending your way.
Buona Giornata!