Lessons From Italy: Slow Down, Savor Life and Make Time for Family

I just spent eight days in Rome visiting Dana and Giacomo. I was also able to explore the neighborhood where Larry and I will be staying for 10 weeks starting in December, when we will welcome our first grandchild to the family.

It was a really nice eight days because I felt no pressure to DO anything other than spend time with Dana and Giacomo—and walk. And walk. It was a little warmer than I had hoped, but nothing like it had been earlier in the summer.

The visit once again reminded me of how unique Italy is and how much I wish the U.S. could learn some lessons from this ancient land. Here are a few things we could learn:

• Italians take time to enjoy food, drink, family and friends. They don’t rush through life. They take time to savor meals, enjoy the company of friends and family, and just sit and watch the world go by.
• They prioritize spending time with family and friends. It’s perfectly OK if you’re halfway through dinner at a really nice restaurant and a cousin and her family show up to join you. The waitstaff doesn’t care either. Sure, just pull up a few chairs and we’ll figure out how to get everyone settled while you wait for your entrees. If only we Americans could relax and not always be in such a hurry.
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  Speaking of family, everyone gathers around big tables to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions. Food is plentiful, with grilled chicken, ribs and sausage served on thick bread and enjoyed outside during the warm months; delicious roasts and vegetables when it’s cold; and fresh mozzarella and prosciutto all the time. Oh, and don’t get me started on the desserts—homemade crostatas and almost always a delicious, gorgeous cake from their favorite bakery.
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  In Italy, all water, soda and dairy products sold in plastic bottles have screw tops that stay connected when you open them. That way, they don’t end up with plastic caps littering the streets.
• In Rome, EVERYTHING is recycled. And I mean literally everything. There are bins for organics, metals, plastics, glass and paper/cardboard. Nothing goes into general trash. There’s even a monthly calendar that tells you which type of recycling to put out each day.
• I went to the grocery store one day with a list of things I needed to make soup. I needed carrots, celery, onions and Italian parsley. Instead of having to buy large quantities of each separately, there was a container in the produce aisle with two carrots, four stalks of celery, two onions and four sprigs of parsley. It was GENIUS. No waste. Just what I needed to make the soup.

We’ll be leaving for Rome in mid-December with three suitcases, two carry-ons and two dogs! We can’t wait to see what it will be like spending almost three months abroad—and welcoming our grandson to the family.

Special times!