The Venice of Vegas — Are You Appreciating the Present?

“How could I expect more from the Universe when I didn’t appreciate what I already had?”

— Sarah Ban Breathnach, “Simple Abundance; A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”

Around four o’clock, we head out onto the Vegas strip again, starting at the hotel modeled after Venice. Hand in hand, we strolled across the bridge. Beneath us, a mock gondolier in a red scarf and striped shirt sang in Italian as he paddled a replica gondola through replica canal waters.

John stopped on the bridge and put his hand on my shoulder. We stood like this a moment, looking out over the canal. I closed my eyes and listened to the music.

Then I turned to John and said, “As lovely as all this is, it still seems a bit…fake.”

He looked at me but said nothing.

“But this Venice,” I added, “is far cleaner and safer than the real place.”

“That’s a good thing, then, is it not?”

I pointed to the canal. “Yeah but look at the water. There’s not one piece of garbage floating in there and it doesn’t smell like shit.”

“And the problem is…”