Several years ago, my wife and I traveled to Bagnoregio, Italy, in the hill country of Tuscany. After spending a delightful day in the village, we missed the last bus back to where we were staying. There we were, in a small village that was going to sleep for the night. We spoke no Italian. We knew no one in town. There were no taxis. We felt totally alone.
I have traveled a lot over the past thirty years and been lost lots of times. So, as a way to adjust my mindset when these little crises happen, I have developed a fun little mantra: “I love an adventure.” I say it over and over to myself until I am able to take a step back emotionally and look at my dilemma in perspective. Once that happens, I can think more logically and tactically.
To manage the anxiety I was feeling, I began to repeat this over and over and even got my wife to join in, though she thought I was crazy. After a minute or so, this took our mind off the emotions surrounding our predicament.
Standing on a street corner, we began to consider our situation methodically. First, we clarified the problem. We were stranded in a small Italian village without our luggage. We didn’t speak the language. The sun was sinking below the horizon. Second, we took stock of our resources. We had credit cards. There had to be a room to rent someplace in this village. There had to be a store open so we could get something to eat. Surely, there were people who spoke English. We just had to find them.
Third, we considered our options. Who would speak English? The police? Someone in a pharmacy? A travel agent? Fourth, we chose what appeared to be the best option and went looking for the police station. Unfortunately, no one there spoke a word of English and we were unceremoniously escorted out the door. Next, we went to the local pharmacy. The pharmacist was very nice, but spoke very little English and had no idea where we could spend the night. She did, however, point us toward a travel agency across the square. The travel agent, who was just closing up, suggested we try a bed and breakfast in a house two blocks away. She wasn’t sure if there would be any space, but it was worth a try.
With a lot of trepidation, we walked up the street, wondering what we would do next if this didn’t work out. I remember looking at my wife and saying a little prayer as I knocked on the door.
A woman answered the door and I started to explain our dilemma in my few words of Italian. She put her hand up and I stopped. Then she said, “Please come in. I’m sure we can accommodate you” . . . in perfect English! She told her husband to call the hotel in the other town where we were staying to make sure our luggage wasn’t discarded. Then she put us up in a beautiful room. On top of this, she introduced us to another couple from the United States and directed the four of us to a restaurant where we spent three hours eating a wonderful meal together.
Early the next morning, my wife and I took the first bus back to where we were supposed to have stayed. As we rode through Tuscany’s beautiful countryside, I thought about what I had learned from this unexpected adventure. While not the expected outcome, I came away from this experience none the worse for wear and with a great story to tell. That’s the funny thing about ambiguity. We can allow it to freeze us in place or we can look at it as an adventure and flex with whatever outcome presents itself. What kind of adventures could you have if you simply adjusted your mindset and became comfortable with ambiguity when the unexpected happens?