This was an enlightening phrase i stumbled upon while reading Elizebeth Gilbert’s famous book “EAT PRAY LOVE” which was adapted into a motion picture acted by my favourite actress Julia Roberts. This is an Italian phrase meaning the “beauty of doing nothing “. This is how the Italians find pleasure. The Italians are traditionally to be known be hard working, “the beauty of doing nothing “always has been cherished as an Italian Ideal. It’s watching the world go by over coffee and a cornetto. It’s laughing at tourists. Or politicians. Or the Pope.
The beauty of doing nothing is the goal of all your work, the final accomplishment for which you are highly congratulated .The more delightfully and exquisitely you can do nothing , the higher your life achievement. You do not have to be rich to experience this pleasure .So unlike the few of us, when we decide to go to a resort or even a 10 day vacation, the Italians who say” let me take pleasure this noon by meeting few friends and making it into a festival or let me cook with whatever less ingredients i have , to make something scrumptious . This is also another wonderful expression in Italian which translates as The art of making something out of nothing “.
During my childhood days in India, i use to hang around with my uncle and his friends under a tree near to our home. All they do there is sit and talk or be present. I use to think “isnt it boring to just come without a plan or an activity”. But now as i read this, and can relate how i derived pleasure by doing nothing. Sometimes you just need to be idle to see what is surrounding you. It can help you live in the present .so instead of saying i will have fun when i go there and blah blah , you know you are seeking something in the future which may take time or never happen. So all you have to do is ask yourself tis question everyday “ what would you enjoy doing today?”.
I sometime get nostalgic when i see elderly Omanis sitting in a circle with their chair in a park or a parking lot savouring their tea with talks.
Il bel far niente doesn’t mean you need to sit around with friends or have a meal with colleagues. It means even if you are alone, you can still have pleasure and revive your mood.This can be just sipping a cup of tea and looking at nature through your window. Listening to music and lying down in your couch or bed or watching a movie. Lets be honest, aren’t we spending money in doing the same things in a different location in a different style. Think about it. This doesn’t mean you need to quit going to expensive holidays or restaurants. This beautiful phrase in Italian teaches us a vital lesson. It says you can have pleasure out of nothing. You can make something out of nothing .
