Italy

My life might seem glamorous because I am in Spain where the sun always shines, the tapas have no calories, and Enrique Iglesias serenades me every evening, but is still so easy to get caught up in all of our vices: Keith in front of the computer, Rebecca lounging, Sammie with her ipod, and me, like Mt. Vesuvius, blowing my top at all of them to do something different.  I’m just kidding, I say a lot of nice things to them too, just not out loud. 

Being void of any real responsibilities here, I am often left to my own devices.  So often, many days fall away with nothing to show. I still did not get to the ironing today, and that makes 8 years in a row. The truth is I am perfectly content with the crunch of leaves under my feet, a salty snack in hand and my favorite song on itunes. But it is better to see something once, than hear about it a million times, so last week we left the comfort of the city that we love to unearth some Italian history.

In some ways, Rome is like many European cities, with narrow cobblestone streets, impressive monuments, and an abundance of manscaping.  In fact, if I close my eyes, it almost feels like I’ve been there before. All around us, we were reminded of the past through what exists now in the present.  The amazing food, stylish clothing, and beautiful people echo the Rome of the third century.  It is a city built on bricks but remembered in marble.  Today it lives on in its people and its pasta. We came, we saw, we ate, and swear the city was still standing when we left.

Rome has ignored the concept of hindsight, as it has returned to the way of life that was once its downfall. It was not too big to fall, but it was too loved to disappear. Like the fragment of my tooth that remains after my brush with corn nuts: its absence will not deter future snacking, and one could say I’ve learned nothing from its demise. I just love that life has so much to offer, and want to taste it all. When the world ends, I don’t want to be found under a pile of rubble wondering what just happened.

My road today does not lead to Rome, but to the dentist. I will remember my tooth fondly, as well as the snack that took it from me. I just hope that the fixing of said tooth is not an experience I will remember forever.  We will see -  I’m gonna be an optimist about this.

Where are we?