There Are No Mistakes

It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Italy for four weeks now, and have been to eight different towns/cities already and have more to visit before the end of my next three weeks! Here’s just a taste of Italy for you all…

Italy has been unbelievable-I’ve learned so much about Italian culture and history, but also have been able to take a reflective view of the U.S. I’m taking a history class in Florence that has opened my eyes to the good, the bad and the ugly of Italy and made me appreciate what we have at home. There’s much to be learned outside the classroom, too (one of the most important for navigation and daily survival has been learning to differentiate between the sounds of a scooter and car coming up from behind, so you can either keep on walking or jump to the sidewalk)!

Yesterday I went into a small handmade leather shop that sells leather covered books, journals, wallets, purses, portfolio folders, bracelets and things I don’t know how to describe. I was chatting with the owner, he’s asking what kinds of things I’ve been up to in Florence. So he tells me, “Do it all, do everything, there are no mistakes when you’re young!” At first I kind of brushed it off as just another sentence, a conversation exclamation point, but maybe he’s right. I don’t ever want to look back, especially on my time here, and say to myself, “I wish I had done that, I should have done more.” (So far I’m in the clear!) Live life to the fullest, that’s what they all tell us. Take advantage of every opportunity! So now I ask: Are there such things as mistakes this early in life as long as we learn from them? It’s all how we look at it later in life, but I think he was on to something…