Appreciate

    Coming back from Italy after four weeks has made me appreciate a few things we take for granted. Here are a few.

    We Americans are used to our SUVs, our full-size sedans, and our pickups with beds that easily fit 4 x 8 panels of plywood. We like soft suspensions and automatic transmissions. Not so in Italy where all cars are small, ride hard, and likely have manual transmissions. And there are no F-150s. Why? Italian roads.

    We Americans are used to smooth surfaces, wide lanes, long stretches of straight roads, and interstates that crisscross the country. Italy has no highways to match ours. Their roads are narrower and often riddled with teeth-rattling potholes; country lanes are barely wide enough to allow small cars to pass each other; and most cities, especially in mountainous Tuscany, are connected by dangerous, curvy roads that call for both hands on the wheel.

    We Americans ride bikes mostly for exercise. In Italy cycling is a popular sport, with cycling clubs sponsoring competitions on almost every weekend. Moreover, bikes, motorcycles, and scooters are essential forms of transportation on roads with no shoulders and no bike lanes. There are tour buses, of course, but only tiny school buses for elementary school children. Many older kids must ride trains to regional high schools.

    We Americans enjoy the benefits of cheap energy. We pay $3 for a gallon of gas, and we maintain a constant comfort level in our homes with heat and air conditioning. Gasoline in Italy averages $7 a gallon, and windows commonly have shutters to combat summer heat and winter cold, because electricity and especially natural gas, which must be imported, are very expensive. It's the reason many people still hang their laundry out to dry on clotheslines and balconies.

    We Americans have fully stocked supermarket shelves and huge malls that meet our every need. We have rows of fast-food and other restaurants catering to every taste and budget. Except for an occasional McDonald in big cities, Italians bars (their fast-food restaurants) have limited offerings. But Italians do have great pizzas and gelatos to die for. As for supermarkets and malls, Italy has none to compare with Walmart and Chesapeake's Greenbriar complex.

    Does that mean that Americans have the best of everything? Hardly. I have seen nothing in this country to compare to the charm of Italy's medieval cities, its magnificent art and architecture, its serene landscapes, and its peaceful, clean, and safe environment. I will always remember the Italians I met for their grace and warmth, their zest for life, and their welcoming embrace.

    We Americans often place too much emphasis on our comfort and physical well-being. We need to be reminded from time to time that happiness is not guaranteed by material abundance, but is more often achieved in the simplest of ways, in opening our eyes to the beauty that surrounds us, in establishing new friendships and loving relationships, and in embracing life in all its rewarding aspects.