Have you ever seen the movie Under the Tuscan Sun? I never thought it was that big a deal until I watched it at Kate’s family cottage last year. Her parents knew the film backwards and forwards – talking along with the characters and throwing their hands up when a scene was coming that was particularly beautiful (it is set in Tuscany, after all).
Aside from cringing at Francis’ (Diane Lane) desperation for a man, there’s a lot to love about the movie. Specifically, the character of Katherine – the cougar-esque kept woman who wears feather hats to dinner parties and red dresses to weddings. They gave her the best lines:
Regrets are a waste of time… they’re just the past crippling you in the present.
No matter what happens, always keep your childish innocence. It’s the most important thing. Fellini said “Live spherically and never lose your childish enthusiasm and things will come your way.
Words to live by, right? The second line got to me; made me think of my sister and brother, who embody childish enthusiasm in every way. My Dad, too. Me, not so much. I feel like I fight that part of myself more and more as I get older. So when I saw this quote on A Cup of Jo, it hit me pretty hard:
“I must learn to love the fool in me–the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool.” — Theodore I. Rubin, MD
Funny how words find you when you need them the most.
Loved this movie. I have also seen it so many times I know every single word. I enjoyed what you had to say about it! Thanks for sharing!
Btw… I used that quote you have on the bottom of your page and was using google to find the quote on my old myspace when I found your page as a very lucky accident.