Starting a New Life • Page 2 of 4 • ItalyWise

Living in Italy has meant starting a new life. Even the best of changes, ones that we initiate with great enthusiasm and with a thirst for adventure, can challenge long-held conditioning and behaviors. In my experience, this isn’t a process that can be controlled, and the bends in the road can’t be anticipated with accuracy. More and more I gravitate to the image of life as a big river, and I am learning to let go and let the it take me. Everyone’s experience is different, but perhaps some of my musings will resonate with you on your journey of change.

The Gift of Winter in Italy.

By Jed|2019-01-19T21:17:27+02:00January 31st, 2018|Living in Italy, Personal musings|

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 [...]

The Power and Perils of Being Liked

By Jed|2019-01-19T21:21:08+02:00January 25th, 2018|Personal musings|

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 [...]

Learning to Dance with Both Life and Death

By Jed|2019-01-19T21:33:37+02:00January 2nd, 2018|Personal musings|

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 [...]

Trapped in a Thought Bubble?

By Jed|2019-01-19T21:42:38+02:00December 13th, 2017|Personal musings|

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 [...]

Relax into the Unknown

By Jed|2019-01-19T21:46:42+02:00November 21st, 2017|Personal musings, Uncategorized|

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 [...]

Exploring the Rich Potential of Spaciousness

By Jed|2019-01-19T22:01:24+02:00September 19th, 2017|Italy's Neighbors, Personal musings|

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 [...]

Big Life Changes and the Shifts of the Soul

By Jed|2019-01-19T22:03:58+02:00September 5th, 2017|Personal musings, Starting a New Life|

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 [...]

The Appeal of a Quiet Mind

By Jed|2019-01-19T22:05:18+02:00August 29th, 2017|Paintings Posts, Personal musings|

I’ve just completed my latest painting. It’s a big one (39.5″ x 60″) Painting this subject has been immensely gratifying. While the intricate play of [...]

My Italy Move, Several Years Later

By Jed|2019-01-21T17:32:41+02:00July 25th, 2017|My Life in Italy, Personal musings|

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 [...]

Don’t Over Think It!

By Jed|2017-04-11T13:28:15+02:00April 11th, 2017|Personal musings|

This statue is me, on far too many occasions. Lost in my head, and not present enough to my amazing surroundings. This is what happens [...]

What Happens When We Wear a Mask?

By Jed|2017-02-28T10:42:37+02:00February 28th, 2017|A Romance with Venice, Exploring the Veneto, Personal musings|

Would you laugh with this jester? My mind and my imagination are still reeling from the bountiful display of pageantry and costumes that [...]

Layers of Solitude

By Jed|2017-02-13T14:23:28+02:00February 13th, 2017|Black & White, Personal musings, The Artistic Journey|

It’s Simply a Matter of Perspective

By Jed|2017-01-11T11:09:48+02:00January 10th, 2017|Black & White, Personal musings|

Wrought-iron railings adorn the bridges of Venice and provide unique views of the canals. I’m in heaven when I’m meandering through the confusing [...]

May the Stars of Possibility Light Your Way

By Jed|2016-12-27T18:29:34+02:00December 27th, 2016|My Life in Italy, Personal musings, Reflections on the Journey|

My extraordinary artistic mother lit the fuse of my imagination. My brilliant engineering father taught me how to construct a plan and a path towards making something [...]

What Are Your Intentions for the Journey?

By Jed|2016-12-14T09:24:16+02:00December 13th, 2016|Black & White, Personal musings, Reflections on the Journey|

In the Face of a Sheep

By Jed|2019-05-20T09:38:31+02:00November 29th, 2016|Abruzzo, Black & White, Personal musings, Uncategorized|

My recent sojourn with shepherds, goats, and sheep in the stunning Apennines mountains of the Parco Nazionale della Majella of Abruzzo left me musing about what I had [...]