Dealing with the Angst of Elusive Answers
When did we become convinced that answers should be ready on command? In my case, I suspect it happened when I began to think abstractly [...]
When did we become convinced that answers should be ready on command? In my case, I suspect it happened when I began to think abstractly [...]
The verb “resign” can be a loaded word. The word can connote giving up or giving in. When a person is said to have resigned [...]
Actually, I’m recovering from an investment in the illusion that multitasking is even possible. You may have noticed that ItalyWise has been quiet for the [...]
I’ve recently returned from a major writers’ conference in NYC and my brain is still on fire with all that I learned from a vast [...]
The narrator in your head doesn’t like to shut up. It thrives on constantly voicing its opinions and judgments about whatever is happening. For me, [...]
My mother always joked that I was the vagabond of the family. She learned not to be surprised when I pulled up stakes and headed [...]
Recently I was reminded of the benefits of entertaining different perspectives. As I’ve indicated in previous posts, my art and photography often teach me lessons that [...]
Building a new life means recognizing you may have to lay new stones and tear out old ones. This realization has been smacking me in the [...]
If you're moving to Italy you'd best be prepared to hit reset. Why do I say this? Because, in my experience, many people can be [...]
A confession right up front: for most of my life I’ve despised winter (even winter in Italy) and looked on it as something to just [...]
Being liked. Am I too motivated by approval? This question has been percolating for at least a month. In fact, I considered making this subject [...]
I believe spending time in cemeteries helps remind me to wake up to the intrinsic dance of life and death. That’s why I love, in [...]
If you’ve been following my recent posts, you won’t be surprised that my photography often ends up prompting me to write about a subject that [...]
This has become my mantra. Why? Because, for most of my life I’ve tried to master and control my experience. Trusting life and knowing how [...]
I was ready for some spaciousness…or so I thought. Our long-awaited trip to the tranquil island of Folegandros, Greece, finally had arrived. This would be [...]
When you decide to up-end your life completely and plop yourself down in a completely different culture like Italy, you might want to be prepared [...]
“Stillness” — © Jed Smith, 2020 (oil on canvas) I’ve just completed my latest painting. It’s a big one [...]
My enduring metaphor for life… Here I am, several years after pulling the trigger on my Italy move. And I’m damn glad I made the [...]