"...we do not always have to be productive, nor do we need to wait for a vacation to create some space for leisure."
Running on the treadmill is
rarely my first choice, but when faced with either scorching heat or torrential
rain, the treadmill in the basement beckons. In the last month, I’ve found
myself running indoors on several occasions because of both conditions. I try
to make the most of running on the treadmill, using it as an opportunity
whenever possible to multi-task. A
recent treadmill work out reminded me that the drive to be constantly
productive isn’t always the best strategy for nurturing one’s inner self.
This particular day, I was tuned
into David Rocco’s Dolce Vita. Within minutes, I was laughing aloud. The
episode revolved around a professor who is throwing a party. The professor’s appearance
immediately cracks me up. He looks
ridiculous in his Speedo underneath a bathrobe. Equally amusing to me is that
he is relaxing beside a pool that is almost empty, and which he has been
filling for three weeks.
In praise of laziness
The professor is enjoying being
idle, and he enlists the help of an old Italian saying, “Never do today what
someone else can do tomorrow”, to justify his lack of productivity. On the
surface, he seems to be praising laziness. And while this is the sort of
attitude that typically gets under my skin, today it makes me laugh. It reminds
me of our visit to Italy.
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| Treviso, Italy - The old and the new M. McEwan photo |
Last summer, we spent a few days
with my relatives who live near Venice. While we were productive in that
touristy sense of visiting historical sites, it was the moments of doing nothing
that made the visit memorable. In typical Italian fashion, my relatives out did
one another in their generous hospitality towards us, which meant long
leisurely meals celebrating family and savoring the fruits of the garden as we
sipped Prosecco, the wine of the region.
Recalling that experience, the
professor’s brand of carpe diem philosophy
took on new meaning. The professor wasn’t advocating idleness. He was promoting
a form of leisure encapsulated in another Italian saying, il bel far niente, or “the beauty of doing nothing”.
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| Treviso, Italy M. McEwan photo |
This episode of Dolce Vita and the memories it evoked of
my visit to Italy reminded me that we do not always have to be productive, nor
do we need to wait for a vacation to create some space for leisure. We can
punctuate life with moments of doing nothing. The simplest things, like water
trickling into a pool or an impromptu party such as we enjoyed on my aunt’s
portico the night before we left, can create the sensation of rest or
celebration in an otherwise ordinary day.
Il bel far niente - a spiritual intuition
At the heart of il bel far niente lays a spiritual
intuition; doing nothing enriches our spirit, nurtures our relationships and
heightens our awareness of life’s many blessings. There is nothing flaky about
doing nothing.
I hopped off the treadmill energized and full of enthusiasm. I had a
plan to punctuate the day with an exclamation mark, with my take on il bel far niente. I’d make pasta al limone and invite the kids over for an impromptu dinner
party. I could taste the sweetness
of doing nothing.
