Appreciation
Many of you know that I’ve been meditating almost daily for the past couple of years. My BFF, Sue, turned me onto an application called Headspace – and I’ve been a devotee ever since. I will hit my 500th day in a row (with no interruptions) next week and I will do it completing a pack called “Appreciation”. It seemed fitting to do this pack for the 3rd time while I was on this trip.
Today, Andy (the brain & voice behind Headspace), suggested that we start to write down appreciations, rather than just feel or hear them in our mind. He says it solidifies the concept in the mind and helps us live with more appreciation in our lives.
Every day in meditation, I ask myself . . “Who or what do you appreciate most in your life”? You have to ask this in the 2nd person, like you’re asking someone else, and then just sink into breath & wait for an answer or more importantly, a feeling.
I’m starting this post at the end of a 24 hour Good Friday Celebration in Trapani – so it seems particularly apropos so close to Easter and the concept of re-birth (no, I haven’t become religious while in this very devout Catholic country, but some can’t help but sink in)
So here’s my list . . . . .
My sister, Amy. She not only knows when and how to give a pep talk, she does it without making me feel guilty or questioning my choices. She knows where to direct my energy when I’m faltering and reminds me to watch for signs from the universe that help put me back on track.
Time! It’s amazing that my life choices & journey to this point have availed me an incredible gift of time. Time to reflect, time to enjoy, time to think, time to experience. Thank you, time.
My body, especially my feet! I remember the pain I felt before my hip surgeries and how hard it was to get back in shape. I also remember traveling at other times in my life that I haven’t been in as good of shape as I am now – physically and/or mentally – and it was hard. While I’m tired as I come to the end of my 4th week of this 5 week trip, I truly appreciate my body for sticking with me and carrying me through. My feet get a special badge of appreciation for carrying me SO many miles as I’ve explored cities, ancient ruins, wharfs, waterfronts & beaches.
My husband, Scott. I appreciate that you recognized how badly I needed to come here, even though you probably didn’t understand why. Thank you for holding down the fort & taking care of our big, old, needy house! And of course, for your patience with the time zone differences so we could stay connected on the new phone & amp-ed up international plan that you gave me!!
My parents. For every email, every conversation, and every check-in that are all filled with unconditional excitement & support for all that I’m doing. Your enthusiasm is infectious and fuels me on!
Friends you meet while traveling. My new friends, Vincenzo & Shelia, from Liverno, Tuscana (Liverno is a beach town south of Pisa in Tuscany) welcomed me to their table on the boat, spent the day trying hard to communicate with me in broken English / Italian and invited & treated me to dinner. I appreciate their friendship & the memories of a wonderful Easter Sunday in Sicily!
Gelato! How can you not appreciate something that so innocently makes you smile & say “yum” at the same time. I appreciate gelato SO much, that’s I’ve taken to following my mom & Scott’s example and often having it more than once a day! Brava!!
Tuna, but only if it’s fished & canned in Sicily AND packed in really, good Sicilian olive oil! I went to the Museo Tonno on Favignana (Tuna Museum on the beautiful island of Favignana off of Trapani) and saw how the tuna were fishedup until 10 years ago. These fishermen were craftsmen & dedicated to their traditional ways. I will never look at a can of tuna the same way. If you want to learn more about this extraordinary process. . check out
A Health Food Bar in Trapani. Today, I’m not feeling that great. I’m a little tired of eating pasta every day and my stomach’s a little wigged out from too much sugar (gelato & pastries every day DOES catch up eventually). What could be better than a fresh salad and yogurt with fruit for dessert all prepared by a family from France? They even spoke English! Today - I appreciate that you can find a little fresh light food, just when you need it, amidst all this wonderful rich Sicilian food.
Young men who’s mamma’s raised them right! Today, I moved from a 3nd floor room in Trapani to a 2nd floor room in Noto. I won’t even elaborate on the details of getting into these rooms – but suffice to say there were a LOT of stairs & really, uneven cobblestone streets. I appreciate both Paolo & Salvo who happily & gallantly carried my bags to & from the car. Maybe they were taking pity on an old gal – but I’m pretty sure it had more to do with their Sicilian Mamma’s - who raised them right!
Ear Plugs. Always carry them with you when you travel. You never know how many dogs might stay up all night barking or how early the stone breaking construction will begin in the morning.
A Good Lavanderia. These little gems have kept my clothes clean & smelling fresh during the entire trip. The staff never seems to speak enough English, my Italian tutor & I didn’t practice the phrases to ask for wash & dry only, and I never do get a ticket for pick-up (one of the few “trust me” systems in Sicily) – but I always seem to get all my clothes back, when promised, for a really good price!
Headspace – my meditation program. I’ve been mediating now for the better part of 2 years and today, I hit my 500th day in a row. I appreciate Headspace today & every day for helping me to get focused & unplug from whatever is happening in my day / life. The feeling of “centering”, even if it’s just 20 minutes, creates a happy place for me each day.
Hearing & speaking the English language throughout an entire dinner! Yep, new friends from California, joined me for dinner and we spoke English-American with a little Aussie thrown in, and it was wonderful! After almost 5 weeks of “trying” to speak Italian, I appreciate the English language more now than I ever have.
A really comfortable bed. When you’re away from home, you often think about your own bed. When you’re away this long, you just hope you’ll be able to get “some” sleep on the weird sheets, in a strange room, in a place with unusual noises. But when you get to a place that has a bed that’s so scrumptious that you think about foregoing tourist things for the day and just staying in that bed – well, that’s true, unadulterated appreciation for sure!
The GPS. I know, I know, I’ve done my fair share of bitching about the GPS – but today, I appreciate it more than I can say. I appreciate the fact that it brought me right to coordinates N 37 00.321 / E 14 33.005 (even if instinctively it felt like it was taking me on a wild ride). Without GPS, I have NO idea how I would have found this place, even with a detailed map!
Italian Cooks! Because all they really want to do is feed you. All I said was, “where is a restaurant where I can get some lunch”?!? She smiles & says, I’ll make you some bruschetta & formaggi. I appreciate a woman that just wants to be sure you get enough to eat. What I assumed would be a snack was 4 huge rounds of mozzarella with tomatoes & greens; thin slices of smoked salmon dressed with lemon sitting on greens; two kinds of bruschetta, plus grilled bread slices; fresh bread; salami pistachios; 2 kinds of hard cheese; fresh fruit salad; and a beautiful piece of cake! Enough said. My heart swells when I think of Federica!
Agritourism. What a marvelous invention. Take an old farm or villa or winery – restore it to its original (or better) grandeur and turn into a magnificent vacation destination. Include: cozy (and often upscale) rooms, amazing food, free-flowing wine, great surroundings, peace & quiet, and a bunch of cute animals and wow, have you created nirvana! Extra points if your family has owned the place for generations and there’s really good stories to share. And guaranteed, a rating of 10 on booking.com or airBnB.com, if you & your staff provide such a great experience that the guests don’t want to leave and cry when they do!!! I stayed at 3 of these establishments in Sicily and I’d go back to any of them in a heartbeat.
Europeans. Bless these wise & worldly people! They know better than we, that America is the greatest & most resilient democracy in the history of the world – and while they don’t like Trump’s outbursts or policies, they know that this is just a blip in our amazing legacy & strength as a nation. Plus: listening to Germans, Swiss, Macedonian & Dutch citizens talk about the French election affirmed my belief that we are all citizens of the world – not just a single nation.
Pistachio Gelato! I truly don’t know if God invented gelato or even guided someone here on earth to do it – BUT – it is the single best food on the planet. Made with those Bronte pistachios and really, really good milk, it can truly transform your day (if not your life)! Truly!!
A good rental car. I had two different cars on this trip and together they carried me safety & dependably from Rome to every corner of the island of Sicily. It would not have been the same trip had I done on trains or planes.
Sherine. My old college friend who agreed to accompany me on the first 2 weeks of this trip. She truly allowed me to plan the trip of my dreams and was more than happy to go anywhere and do anything that I wanted to. She never complained, supported my crazy quests to find the Sclafani Palazzo in Palermo, served as my co-pilot & GPS programmer, and helped me build the confidence to do the additional 3 weeks on my own.
Sicily . . oh Sicily – how I appreciate your landscape, your harbors, your people, your food & wine, your hospitality and all the glory of the history that has shaped you into the most amazing place that I have ever been.
And lastly . . . thank you to my paternal great grandparents, Calogera Sclafani & Antonino Graffeo, for immigrating to the United States. I would not be here, nor would I have had the amazing opportunity or the desire to visit Sicily, if you’d not presented me with a story to explore. I appreciate the sacrifices you must have made and the hardships you must have endured to give all of us Rafello’s - a chance to be.
**Footnote: This post was started sometime during week 4 of my trip. I continued to add to it after I got home and finished with this last entry today, June 7th. This morning I hit 547 consecutive days in my meditation practice and a have racked up 749 sessions, totaling 221 hours over the past 2 years. It’s changed my life in many ways – maybe most importantly in the area of Appreciation. I know how special my life is, how fortunate I am, and how loved I am - and I plan to never take those things for granted.
