Letters from Abroad: Taking it easy

BOLOGNA, Italy – “‘The water,’ by Feist.” “‘Bridge over troubled water,’ by Simon and Garfunkel.” “‘Black water,’ by the Doobie Brothers.”\n My friend Maureen and I were playing our favorite game – trying to find all of the songs with a given word in the title – on the banks of Lake Como this weekend. We were watching sailboats bobbing in the clear water from the shores of Bellagio, a small town not far from where George Clooney has his summer home. The sun was shining down on us and we could hear the distant shouts of fishermen as they pulled in the day’s catch. Maureen and I had the same simultaneous thought: Isn’t this wonderful?\nIf Italy has taught me one thing this year, it is that sometimes you just have to slow down and enjoy life’s little moments of happiness. It is easy to get caught up in the frenzy of touring – never-ending lists of sights to see and museums to visit. I have witnessed a wealth of marvelous things in this country, but my favorite memories from this year have been times when I was simply relaxing and soaking up the company of my friends and family.\nTwo weeks ago, my parents and little brother came for a visit. We did the typical whirlwind tour of the three tourist hot spots: Venice, Florence and Rome. It was exciting to watch them experience the rich culture of Italy for the first time. But the most fun we had together was when, in an effort to find the Christian catacombs on the ancient Appian Way, we got hopelessly lost in the Roman countryside. As we stood surrounded by a flock of sheep, we all had a good laugh at the ridiculous situation.\nThe Italians are an extremely laid back people. I have never seen an Italian walk quickly, and they all take at least four hours to finish their meals. I am positive that this accounts for their extremely high life expectancy, which according to the CIA’s World Factbook, is 20 percent above the world average. They seem to know how to live. \nAs the weather warms up, make time to stop and relax. Take your books outside and study on a blanket in the Arboretum. Spend a day with your friends in the park or just lounging on the banks of the Jordan River. The memories that you make doing simple activities with people you love are those that will last a lifetime.