I found inspiration, solace, and later, serendipity, in the profound words of the German author and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
for the first trek up Mt. Everest.
Not planning to scale any mountains, but with a sincere desire to transform my life from that of Beverly Hills PR Agency owner to one filled with the more creative pursuits of fine art and my first love of journalism, I had the Goethe quote posted on my home-office wall for years.
In 2003, I took my 11th trip to Italy and, due to unforeseen circumstances, ended up staying one night at the apartment of a woman named Luisa, a personal empowerment coach in Lucca,
who showed amazing kindness to a strange American woman who was learning
Italian and and seeking personal truths. Luisa saved me from being misguided
and ripped off at a travel agent's office. I found the answsers to some of them when I awoke early the nest morning, and discovered just how interconencted we are on this planet:
I found the very same words posted on her home-office wall, only in Italian.
Here they are in both languages.
Oh, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Luisa for a lovely dinner
and a comfy night's stay in your guestroom. You are an inspiration.
BY W. GOETHE
There is an elemental truth,
the ignorance of which kills innumerable ideas and splendid plans:
In that moment that one thoroughly commits
Then Providence moves too.
An infinite number of things fall into place to help you
Things that otherwise would have never have come
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.
In audacity there is genius, power and magic.
Begin it now.
The same Quote in Italian:
C’è una verita elementare ,
la cui ignoranza uccide innumerevole idée e splendidi piani:
Nel momento in cui uno si impegna a fondo,
anche la Provvidenza allora si muove.
Infinite cose accadano per aiutarlo,
Cose che altrimenti non mai avvenute …
Qualunque cosa tu possa fare,
o sognare di poter fare, incominciala.
L'audacia ha in sè il genio, il potere e la magia.
Incomincia adesso.
