At some point in everybody's life they have either been completely alone or felt the need to be. Being alone every once in a while is a necessary thing, in my opinion, to be able to think clearly and function properly. I remember the time when I was in Italy during the summer of 2007. I was having a bad day with my parents and before leaving to go visit the Colosseum we got into an argument. I angered them so much that they left without me, leaving me, a 12 year old boy, alone in an Italian hotel. Being unable to understand anything that was on TV I decided to try and make my way to the Colosseum and meet up with my family. I grabbed a map from the front desk of the hotel and set off.
I soon realized that while traveling by myself I noticed a much greater amount of detail. When walking about with my parents I become too focused on not wanting to be seen with them and not on the beautiful architecture of Rome. Even though I only had a vague idea of where I was headed I was in the best mood that I had been on the entire trip. I was finally able to think clearly and I realized what an amazing country Italy really is.
As I continued to travel I became lost and since I was unable to communicate with the locals I just kept walking. I eventually stumbled upon a group of tourists and asked for directions. Imagine my surprise when I learned that I had actually wandered off the map. Normally this would freak me out, but after realizing that I need to enjoy everything around me I laugh and ask them to point me in the right direction. I soon was approached by a police officer who asked me my name. I gave it to him and he said that my parents had reported me missing. He then took me to the police station where they were happily/angrily waiting. While I got in loads of trouble for my wandering it remains to be one of the best experiences of my life. It taught me to take in my surroundings and to appreciate everything that I have.
No comments:
Post a Comment