What Do You Do In An Emergency? Turn Out The Lights And Have An Espresso! - Things We Learn While Tr

Venice Glass Shop

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back

and let things happen to them.” They went out and happened to things."

Leonardo da Vinci

Venice Glass Shop Lesson - We have learned a great many things while traveling which is why we tell others that traveling is the best education the world has to offer. IF you are awake and paying attention that is. On one trip to Venice we visited the island of Murano which is where the glass blowers work. Apparently they were asked to work here for safety reasons.

When we returned to Venice, we visited a glass display shop that showcased the craftsmanship of the workshop that we had just left. As we were browsing throughout the shop admiring the dozens and dozens of $36,000 chandeliers the door of the adjoining shop abruptly slammed close for some reason and all of the chandeliers shook & jingled. We asked the proprietor what they did in case of an earth quake. He struggled for a few moments consulting with the woman that he worked with to try an understand our gestures for earthquake and then ye smiled and said "Ah, yes, terremoto", the Italian word for earthquake. He then said, "Yes! We turn out the lights, sit down and we have an espresso. When it is over, we turn the lights back on."

When we asked him why, he explained that new shop owners freak out and try to catch the chandeliers so that they down't swing into each other and break into pieces on the floor but that older, more experienced shop owners realize that they all swing in unison and they'll eventually slow down at the same time so the best thing to do is let them slow down on their own. We aren't always successful at doing this, but we do try. Whenever there is an emergency or a disaster, instead of freaking out, we simply turn out the lights, have an espresso and when it is over we assess the situation and then determine what is to be done. Clearer heads prevail after the emergency and better choices are to be had.