Wine with Piero
During National Poetry month (April), I had the amazing opportunity to attend a night of poetry and prose at a forward-thinking spa. I say forward-thinking because The Four Pillars is an all-encompassing spa, “the place to go to learn, relax, energize and reinvent,” with goals to enhance your Mind, Body, Spirit, and Social Connections. Brilliant!
Amongst fine Italian wine, cheese, and fruit, twenty or so strangers sat in honor of Italian poet Piero Rivolta. We dissolved into Mr. Rivolta’s passion of exploration and questioning of life. His thoughts and considerations brought us along on journeys and deep into memories. Through his writings, it was as if we were there in Milano with snow falling on the plains, or stepping into the ancient Bresso Park, or sailing the Atlantic Ocean with him.
One attendee stated that while listening she was brought back to her Italian grandfather’s side, many, many years ago, as he explained that even after he was gone, they both would be looking at the same stars.
“With unabashed simplicity, I made my choice: My country would be the free world, my religion love, and my law the mutual respect of feelings.” (“Leaving an Alpine Shelter” from Just One Scent the Rest is God)
This quote from the poet himself who has lived many lives in this one lifetime. He has designed and built luxury sport cars and custom yachts, raised jumping horses, developed residential communities and commercial buildings, and co-founded an international music festival. Piero Rivolta is a true modern day renaissance man! And yet, even with all his success on two continents and crossing the Atlantic, he wishes his legacy to be his words.
With the sun’s smile
and the wind’s caress
you may just
end up burned:
in a storm,
you may be revived.
With this thought from “The Storm” in Just One Scent the Rest is God Piero led us to believe that life is what we perceive and that is what gives us freedom. If you choose to be happy, those around you will be happy and if you choose to love, you will be loved in return.
Saluti!
