Orvieto or Bust:

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”-C.S. Lewis

Every single one of us has our own unique and special mechanism for coping and strategizing our way through the world’s challenges.  I find that what works best for me is a random, shotgun-style approach to personal achievement.  I call it the “Spaghetti Theory”: throw everything you have at a predicament and see what sticks.

This philosophy encompasses a combination of the law of averages, blood, sweat and tears, and a bit of dumb luck. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t, but in less than two weeks I will be heading for Italy again – launching “Phase One” of my grand scheme. I am  so close that I can almost taste it. For nearly seven years I have been feverishly “flinging noodles” at the walls of life in a concentrated effort to reach my goal. I’ve been plotting, concocting, commiserating and essentially boring the living daylights out of my friends, family and even complete strangers.

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

Curiously, as my objective moved from the realm of fantasy into the universe of real and tangible possibility, an odd thing happened – I began to experience a disbelief that I could actually get what I want, followed by a paralyzing fear that perhaps once I get it, I might not want it any longer!  Here I am, standing on the precipice of my dream coming true and finding myself in such a discombobulated state of mind.  Of course you’ve heard of a fear of failure, but did you know that some folks actually suffer from a fear of success? After all the obsessing and preoccupation, could I honestly be afraid of crossing the finish line? …Nope, don’t think so.

Teetering atop the high-dive, I am ready to take the plunge into the deep-end. There is no way in hell I’m going to come this close to the prize, only to turn in retreat before getting my just desserts.  I owe it to myself and to the many friends who have already blazed the trail abroad or who are taking up the rear.  I am not so special. I am only one of many dreamers of an Italian life.

You can read the wonderful and inspiring stories of other dreamers/bloggers at: Renovating Italy, http://www.renovatingitaly.com; Destination Umbria, http://destinationumbria.wordpress.com/; Bagni di Lucca and Beyond, http://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/; My Melange,http://mymelange.net/; Bleeding Espresso, http://bleedingespresso.com/; and Indulge – Travel, Adventure, & New Experiences, http://lesleycarter.wordpress.com/.

by Toni DeBella

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