ITALY -- THE CULTURE

In the few short days I spent in Italy, I learned a big lesson about the importance of knowing and understanding the culture and history of where one calls home.

I had an opportunity to have a nice conversation with an Italian who is near my age and who, in his youth, had traveled throughout the United States before returning to his home in Florence, Italy some twenty years ago. He was exceptionally fluent in English so we were able to have an in-depth, although brief, discussion about his life in Florence and my life in Oklahoma.

I told my new acquaintance that I work at the State Capitol Building, that I volunteer at the National Cowboy Museum, and I am involved in my sister’s business, Bonedust Cowgirl. He listened attentively then made this statement, “You are rich.”

In an instant I thought to myself, he thinks I am just a rich American. So, in response, I just shook my head and said, “No, I’m not rich.” His reply to me was, “Yes, you are very rich.” I explained that I am just a lowly government employee and again insisted that “I am not rich!”

Suddenly, my new friend bristled and with all the passion you would expect from an Italian and with hands flying in the air, he emphatically stated, “Not rich in money. Rich in culture!”

That was my ah-ha moment. I suddenly realized that he and I were talking about two completely different concepts. My idea of being rich is so closely associated to money that I could not see that he was speaking of being rich in other ways such as culture and history.

I see this as a huge difference between Americans and Italians. Of course, there are exceptions but for the most part, Americans are all about stuff. Buying stuff, storing stuff, getting rid of stuff. It’s a vicious cycle. This is what defines Americans as “rich”.

On the other hand, the Italians embrace their culture, habits, food, history, arts, instruments, tastes, and skills. To do this is what they consider as being “rich”.

Over the past several days, I’ve thought a lot about the simple lesson my Italian friend taught me. Actually, I’ve always known what is really important in life. I just needed to have a stranger on the other side of the world to remind me of it. It’s not money – it is culture!