Dwelling in Possibility

Is having a home in Italy mere folly?

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

This poem by Emily Dickinson has always been a favorite of mine. I memorized it all the way back when I was only eighteen. Sure, it’s about poetry, but the metaphor won’t let go of me. As a mantra for living, this is one of the best.

By the time you read this, I will be in Sicily again. Just a short trip, only 13 days. Hopefully enough time for Tom to assess how much work needs to be done and for us to actually get some work done. Like maybe prune the trees. Any buy a mattress and stove and refrigerator. And paint the bedroom again. (Yes, I know) But this time sponge glaze it with a lighter shade. Tuscan-style, even if we are in Sicily.

I still haven’t figured out how to get an Italian visa that allows me to stay longer than three months. Italy is very strict about visas and, at the moment, I don’t fit into any of the categories. But hey, I dwell in possibilities.

There are moments when I am completely in awe of my life. It is absolutely amazing to me that I have a home in Italy. A house and a home. When things get stressful or I get irritated with one thing or another, I remind myself of this. Even if I can’t move there just yet, I have a home waiting for me. And this makes everything better.

It’s honestly pretty crazy that we bought this old train stop house. Crazy how quickly it happened. Yes, I had been thinking about this for a few years, and yes, the actual purchase took seven months, but finding this place and making the decision happened very quickly. And I can’t help wondering if it is all a romantic folly. If we had taken the time to think through everything thoroughly, I suspect we wouldn’t have done it. Practicality is a surefire way to talk yourself out of something. All I know is this: during the long months it took for the sale to go through, every time I thought about the practicality and possibility of not buying the property, I wanted to cry. My stomach tightened. I felt nauseous and woozy. So we bought it. And even with all the hiccups and the bureaucratic red tape we are sure to encounter in the future, I am deliriously happy.

Cheryl A. Ossola has a great story about moving to Italy and finding her home in Perugia, the capital city of the Umbria region.

She absolutely loves where she lives and yet recently she wrote how another house has stolen her heart:

“There’s another house, in another region, another town, that has wrapped its metaphorical arms around me. I thought I’d escaped its clutches, but the house thinks otherwise.” - Cheryl A Ossola

A Romantic Folly

Photo by Cheryl A. Ossola

Fantastic, isn’t it? Click on the link above to see more photos and read more about this potential adventure.

What about you? Have you ever fallen in love with a home and purchased it, even if it didn’t seem practical? Even if you knew it would take a lot of work? Leave a comment. I would love to hear your story!

And, if you haven’t seen the video of our Sicilian home that I posted in November and are interested in a closer look at the property, you can find it here. I’m a bit ridiculous (not accustomed to being in front of the camera and this is the first “film” I’ve made), but all in all it’s a bit funny.