Reflections from Italy

Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Venice…

The sights, the smells, the food. The hustle and bustle, the friends, the whirlwind of experiences. The beautiful mixing of languages and blending of cultures. The busy streets, the friendly perfume lady, the funny translator in the bakery.

The memories are like a pleasant smell wafting from a kitchen. I wish there was a way to relive it all.

But in a moment, I’m back at my home in the Midwest.

Work and school have snapped me back to reality, and I’m left with memories, souvenirs, and a drained bank account to let me know I left the country. But maybe there’s another way I can look at it.

After sleeping sixteen hours post-arrival and taking a dazed walk around my neighborhood, I had a bit of a revelation.

Sure, Italy is more exciting than my small town, but my mindset was also entirely different there.

For those ten days, I was determined to soak up every moment.

My roommate and I wrote a letter to our favorite shop owner, jumped in excitement when we found water that cost less than a Euro, and stood in awe in front of our favorite paintings. We smiled and listened to the musicians performing in the streets. We kept our heads up and our eyes open, even when the heat was unbearable. We didn’t let any hint of drama affect us, and we intentionally experienced everything. We savored the food, we smiled a lot, and we didn’t let our phones distract us from the beauty around us. When people laughed at us, we laughed too. When things didn’t go as planned, we looked for ways to make the most of it.

What’s stopping me from having that same mindset here?

Sure, I can’t admire the perspective of the Sistine Chapel, but I can stare up at the sun breaking through the clouds. I can’t walk the streets of Rome, but I can walk down a forest trail and brush my fingers against the tall grass. I can’t laugh with a shop owner as we try to break the language barrier, but I can listen to that lady at Walmart talk about her grandchildren. I can’t lay on my back and admire the bright colors painted on a ceiling in Venice, but I can look at the bright blues and greens and reds surrounding me every day.

I can listen to my favorite songs like it’s my first time hearing them.

I can live without fearing the opinions of others.

I can experience my hometown like I’ve never been here before.

I can’t be in Italy, but I can still look at the world with wonder.

Italy was beautiful, but a shift in my mindset is already making my Midwest town feel just as incredible.