February 22, 2025

Greetings Resilient Friends,

With all the snow days and rain days in the Pacific Northwest, I have been daydreaming of warm summer days. But also, trying to get winter projects started and finished. It seems that I always have too many projects that I either want to start or ones I need to finish, whether it be winter or summer. How ‘bout you?

We live in a hustle culture these days… get more done, be more productive, earn the right to rest… or feel guilty. Rest when everything is done. But my to do lists never end, and I am never done.

I thought it would be different after I retired, but I just added more things I had to do and wanted to do, that I didn’t have time for while working. Sound familiar?

I came up with this formula to explain it…

Everything I did before retirement

- my job

+ plus all the stuff my spouse did that I had to take over when he couldn’t

+ the retirement extra stuff I want to do

= everything I do now after retirement

+ 10% extra time for the “older and slower factor”

+10% extra time for the “laziness factor”… and not to forget the

+10% extra time for the “scrolling factor”

As you can see, using this algorithm, retired people have less time and more to do than before retirement :)

And I didn’t even mention the critical thinking (day dreaming) factor. And btw… my critical thinking factor is thriving. ;)

Looking out on a snow day last week, I was remembering the summer we traveled through Italy. We were visiting Naples to eat “out of this world” pizza, with Italian Chianti, and fresh gelato for dessert, while gazing at Mt. Vesuvius, and poking around in the remains of Pompeii…

2000 people’s lives and primitive stone homes destroyed by the volcano in 79 AD.

But the most memorable day was in Sorrento, on the peninsula southwest of Naples. Sorrento is an ancient town, built of brick, towering above the edge of the clear turquoise sea. The town is know for it’s stunning architecture, citrus groves, and the home of Limoncello.

From any vantage point, we could look across the gulf to Naples and Mt Vesuvius, or across the gently rolling sea to the Isle of Capri. It was all breathtaking, and we were trying to take in as much as possible before our departure.

On our last morning, we were sitting in an open air café, overlooking the city and sea. We were deep in our travel brochures trying to decide what to do on our last morning… in serious planning mode. The old Italian waitress slowly walked over to take our order.

“Oh, Scusi”, I said apologetically, “prego( please), we non look at il menu finora (yet).”

The old waitress smiled at us young “40 somethings” deep in our travel plans. She shook her head, laughed and said, “Ritornero…piano piano”.

What, I thought? I knew ritornero was Italian for I will return, but what was piano piano?

When she finally returned to take our order, I smiled and asked, “Scusi? Cos’e questo (excuse me, what is) piano piano?

And then, me with a little Italian, and Rosa, our waitress, with a little English and a lot of patience, I learned that…

Piano Piano is a slogan originating in southern Italy along the Amalfi coast south of Naples.

The meaning of Piano Piano is to approach life softly, little by little, as to not miss the present moment while preparing for the future.

Oh my…what a lesson❤️ Ha…My piano lesson in Italy ;)

Rosa continued…”Take this time i Giovani (young ones) to remember this beautiful view before you are gone.”

Piano Piano…words to live by. Thank you, Rosa.

I will remember Naples, pizza, wine, gelato, Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii, and Capri’s blue grotto.

But most of all, I will remember Rosa, the humble waitress in Sorrento. Her gentle wisdom comes to me whenever I feel overwhelmed with my life.

Especially now… time is precious.

Do not miss the present moment while planning for the next. ❤️

Look around at all that is wonder filled, and consider piano piano in your life.