DOLCE FAR NIENTE

I don't know why but I was totally moody and bored today (I'm NEVER bored). Might be because of two whole days of shopping and riding in the car to Pescara and back... But anyhow... I was feeling totally pooped all day. 

Tried to study but I just couldn't focus. I stared at the same page for a long time daydreaming...

I finally just shut my book closed and made lunch.

Bunny trail: 

Scott told me about this lady on facebook who drank 3 liters of water for weeks and months and it made a dramatic difference in her appearance and health. She lost weight, her skin cleared off and she was feeling much more healthy and energetic in general. 

It wasn't new information for me, of course everybody knows that drinking lots of water is very good for you! But it's one thing to know OF something and another to KNOW something. 

It really motivated me and I decided to try to drink the 3 liters per day. I could barely get up to 1.5L! What the heck!? It was way harder than I imagined. 

But there is always tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll try again. 

Anyway...after lunch we were all just laying around like poisoned mice and we were like Bwoooaaa I don't feel like doing anything. 

So we went down to the sea hoping that we would get into the mood or that some exercise might help to energize us. 

But no. The boys did a little bit of swimming and surfing, I read my Italian edition Twilight book with little interest. 

After a while we decided to just go back home...

Benjamin and I ate bread and spicy salami for supper, for husband I made pasta. 

Then we played Phase10 with Benjamin. He beat us. 

First I was thinking What a useless day this was.

Then I remembered that not all days have to be super accomplished. Not all days have to be super effective and efficient. 

There are days when we just ARE and not DO. 

Italians certainly know how to do that. As a matter of fact they have this expression "Dolce far niente" which means "Sweet doing nothing". They really are experts at it. They sit outside at the caffe sipping their morning cappuccinos, reading their morning paper, chatting with each other, taking a leisurely morning passeggiata (stroll) and just enjoy BEING. They are not too concerned about this kind of doing nothing. 

I guess we completely forgot how to enjoy some "Dolce far niente". Being missionaries also puts much pressure on, we always feel like we have to be busy with something. 

Studying Italian, working at the office, building relationships with people... Which is funny because it brings me back to "Dolce far niente"...the way Italians socialize. Doing nothing together. 

Well. Today I learnt an important lesson: 

Chill out, mama. It's okay.