ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - May 23, 2003

It's hard to believe that we are halfway through the Italian odyssey already. The group leaves our house in Umbria tomorrow and heads off in different directions, having shared some wonderful moments and gained some wonderful memories. If you are so inclined, you can follow along in the daily diary on my website. Look for "Trip Reports."

THE WONDER OF IT ALL
The thing I like most about travel is that it opens my eyes to things I ordinarily don't notice. One of the things that struck me this week is that I think we often get it all wrong. As foreigners, we come to Italy, marvel at the old buildings and wish that we could live in something like that. Do the people who live in these old places curse them and wish for something more modern? We watch the daily life of the people and are fascinated by what they are doing and the way they are doing it. I suspect that to them it is just another day ... and perhaps not a very good day at that. No matter what is really going on for them, we just see the wonder of it all.

If the same Italians were to come to the US, wouldn't they be as fascinated by the difference in architecture and the way that people go about their daily lives? Might they not see the magic in those things that we may be grousing about?

My point is that we see the wonder of other cultures but miss it in our own lives. I can only wish us all the ability -- every now and then -- to become aware of the magic that truly surrounds us. The way we interact with each other, the sunlight in the trees, the machines that help us, the way we are all different ... and all the same -- there is a wonder in all that. Allow yourself to slow down enough to get in tough with it ... or take a trip to another culture and use that to start opening your eyes.

WHILE I AM AT IT ...
Every time I come to Europe I am struck by the fact that life goes on in many different languages ... and it goes on very nicely, thank you. We may use different languages, have some different habits and perhaps dress a little differently, but the things we have in common far outweigh the differences. We still love our kids, feel love and pain, play, eat together and make due the best we can. Watch the family dynamics of other cultures and you see more that is familiar than is not.

The key to it all is respect. "Different" is only different, not "wrong." People do what they do because it makes sense to them and there is no requirement that it make sense to you. In fact, if what you see does not "make sense," that should get you curious rather than furious. When we come from respect, we stay in touch with the fact that there are many right answers in life and that there are many ways to reach the same goal. Having respect for the different habits and viewpoints of others opens you up to learn from them. That, in turn, opens them up to learn from you ... but it always starts with your actions.

As the foodservice industry becomes more diverse (... how many people in your organization have a first language other than English?), it is critical that we get better at appreciating -- and profiting from -- our differences. And don't think of cultural difference just in terms of nationality. Every one of us has a unique personal culture, even if we grew up in the same neighborhood ... or under the same roof.

Ultimately, we are all splashing in the same pool. Come on in. The water's fine.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your life today?

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