Yes, I gladly admit I have the propensity to feed my soul through a plate of sheer lusciousness. Visualize a plate of homemade tagliolini pasta with fresh spring asparagus and aged parmesan and you will understand the way to my heart. All you need are indeed five of the freshest ingredients.
How does a plate of pasta lead me to what I learned after living the "La Dolce Vita" life this fall? It all started when I asked Sere, our teacher at cooking school, "Where are the thrift stores here."
You would have thought I had asked her if she sleeps with three-headed aliens. It was apparent she was slightly insulted, and very confused. "No, absolutely not" she replied. I walked away feeling just as confused thinking what happens to all the stuff you don't want?
But let me back up and explain where I live in "small town Tennessee. " The main event on the first Saturday of every month is "THE BAG SALE." OMG...they start lining up at 7:00 am to be the first in line for the thrift store opening at 8:00. You too have the opportunity to stuff a Walmart plastic bag with as many pieces of clothing as can fit... all for five bucks. But the best part? You get to strut around like a proud rooster doing a little dance asking the all-important question, "How many pieces did you get in your bag?" It's not so much about how many pieces you have but more about owning the bragging rights for the next thirty days. And to think what we hold in our bags is all stuff. Someone else's stuff they didn't want and we don't need.
Thankfully Sere set me straight on Italians' view of thrift stores. Full transparency...it took a retail experience of another kind "to get it." Days later I walked into heaven. Mortals know it by Botega Etica, the store with handmade linen clothing. I felt like I had finally found "me", or "my style" rather. Torn between which of the two blouses I should purchase, I asked Valentina, the owner's daughter, for her opinion. She explained she shares a very small closet with her husband which forces her to be very discerning when purchasing like I was considering. Her story rang in my ear and all I could hear was "Quality not quantity." I felt like I had been hit by a bolt of lightning. So, so true.
In that moment, the two blouses represented a much greater metaphor. It was about seeking quality instead of quantity. It is a plate of homemade pasta. Five ingredients of the best quality you can find. The handmade leather journal made by Kim that I will have forever, a simple bowl of minestrone made with local organic vegetables, the sheer beauty of freshly picked zucchini blossoms, or tasting delicious wine made with love at Roberto's family winery. It all equals goodness, caring, and quality. Not quanity.
This is the lesson. It is not about filling a Walmart bag with other people's stuff, buying a Bota Box of wine, or pouring soup out of a can. If I only have so much time on this planet, I want it to be about quality vs quantity, freshness vs. processed. Filling my soul with what makes my heart full. Love vs hate, Hope vs fear... After returning home and five trips later to the thrift store to donate my bag sale finds, my closet isn't crowded, and my soul feels lighter. All you need are five quality ingredients to make something great.