My So-Called Life

I took this picture in Orvieto, Italy on my first visit to Europe in 2004. This picture epitomizes my love of Italy and the reason I am so drawn to this region of the world.

Even in Rome, amongst millions of people, there is an underlying sense of calm and camaraderie amongst the people there that I often find lacking here in the states.

I love my country but I personally find it hard to focus on the simplicity of life when I'm so busy concentrating on work and savings and errands and schedules and on and on and on.

I'm also not trying to fool myself into believing that all of that would disappear if I just moved to another country. It's just that I think a move like that would adjust my focus. I'm sure I would still have to work but I don't imagine it would be at such a frenzied pace. I would find myself assimilating to the Italian norm of family, friends, and food...and I could live with that!

I WANT to stroll through the market with my pick of fresh fruits and vegetables. I WANT to walk into the neighborhood bakery and buy fresh bread to go with my dinner. I WANT to walk into the corner store and order a coffee that I stop and drink out of a real cup and saucer and I want to take a minute or two to appreciate the flavor of the coffee as it fills my mouth instead of driving through a McDonald's and drinking my coffee out of a paper cup as I drive to work. I am longing for a pizza on a thin crust with fresh mozzarella and squash blossoms.

I'm so ready to move to Italy and I'm honestly not sure that I'll ever get there because my girlfriend really has no inclination to move there. If she did move there, it would just be to make me happy and I really don't want that either.

I'm bummed.