All the time in the world

Often times when I note a difference between the way things are done here in Italy and the way things are done back home, upon further thought I realize that a lot of these differences are little reflections of the differences in mind set between the two countries.  I began thinking about this yet again on Saturday morning at the Santa Maria Novella train station where we boarded our bus for Chianti.  As our departure was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning, naturally there were a number of people on the hunt for coffee.  I don't like coffee (I'm a bad Italian sometimes, I know), but I went along with a friend as she went to get a cup.

Bars and cafes in Italy aren't exactly on board with the whole "to go" thing.  You never see people walking through the streets with a cup of coffee.  Bars sometimes have to go cups- for tourists.  But you need to ask for them.  Italians don't take their coffee to go.  They stand at the bar and take their time sipping their espresso or cappuccino or what have you, out of non-disposable cups, whether or not they are there alone. They chat with the person behind the counter, they people watch, they relax.  The point is they stop. 

Stop.  Stop rushing.  Stop moving.  Order your coffee.  Drink it at the bar, out of the cup it was intended to be drank from.  Take your time.  New Yorkers like me could learn a thing or two from this concept.  In the grand scheme of things what are you really going to miss out on?  Can you think of anything?  Because I can't.  You're more likely to miss out on something if you take the coffee to go- like a great, if short, conversation with a friendly bartender or fellow patron.  

I mentioned my observation in the train station to my friend Francesca- a fellow New Yorker.  She had noticed the same thing.  "They think they have all the time in the world to stop and smell the roses!" she said jokingly.  Whether or not they actually have that much time is up for debate, but just the fact that they think they do, act like they do, says something important in and of itself.

So to my readers in America, I want to say this.  Next time you go for a cup of coffee, don't walk away with it.  Even if you're at a place that doesn't have real cups, which is all too plausible, don't rush out.  Stand at the counter or take a seat.  Especially now as it starts to get colder.  Let your drink actually warm you.  Coffee isn't just about the caffeine, you know.  If the place isn't busy, chat with the person who served you.  He or she will be grateful for your kindness (especially if you're in New York!).  Or, if you're feeling like you need a you moment, take one.  Stand or sit by yourself, and get  your thoughts together.  It's sad to say, and almost silly even, but too often we get so caught up in all there is to do and take care of that our thoughts get jumbled and disorganized to the point where we actually need to stop and consciously reorganize them.  Next time you go for a cup of coffee, drink it as though you have all the time in the world.