Life in BIG LETTERS

“There’s really no such thing as silence. It has a distinct tone ~ so does peace.”

I think we all long to live authentic lives. We long for our lives to have meaning and purpose. We long to be real. I know I do. And to even come close to lining ourselves up with these goals, I believe it takes purposeful time away from the hustle and  sometimes random busyness cluttering our lives.

It is for that reason my husband, Steve, and I go away for extended periods of time ~ usually twice a year. And I do mean, we get away. We try our best to disconnect from the internet world and our jobs as much as possible. We spend hours talking together, usually about our plans for the future and our ever-changing relationship. And, of course, eating too much and soaking in all the beauty around us.

We recently returned from a month in Greece and Italy. Even with our extensive travel over the years with World Vision and other ministry groups, we had never been to Greece. I had never thought much about it, but Steve said he had always wanted to go there. Let me just say… we weren’t disappointed. In fact, we were transfixed! We are hoping to return next year.

What an amazing place it is!

After 2 weeks in Athens and Santorini, we returned to my favorite place in the world ~ Tuscany, where I always feel so much myself. It’s as if I could linger there forever…

Before we departed Santorini, we were eating an amazing dinner at a restaurant recommended by the family who owned the very small hotel, or rather, group of villas, in which we were staying. At the end of our meal, the restaurant owner came to our table and asked us if we had enjoyed our dinner and who had told us about his restaurant, which was also very small. When we told him the family’s name, he exclaimed, “Ah yes! They are my friends. Their place is indeed a wonderful place to stay! Please tell them I said hello!”

We agreed we were enjoying our stay there very much and told him they had made us feel like family. He replied with gusto,

”Yes, they do it with Big Letters!”

I laughed and asked him what he meant by that expression. He thought for a moment before answering. Then he said,  “I mean, they do their work with all of their heart.” 

I thought about that for some time afterwards. And I decided, “That’s exactly how I want to live my life.”

Sweet Tuscany 

Mine is the birdsong harmony

Mine is the golden glaze upon the rolling hills of green

As the sun sets over the fresh tendrils in the vineyards 

And the infant olives to their mother trees cling

Ours are the wildflowers ~ planted by God’s hand

In His overflow of generous Grace

In His Love- they belong to everyone who sees

Sweet and fresh, they frolic across the open green

Displaying every color and every form imaginable 

To be or not to be seen

Mine is the pregnant silence –

That feeling of undeniable expectation 

Softly the silence finds her reward ~

The fireflies shyly begin to twinkle and emerge 

From their home ~

The hedge behind the old stone villa

And for one breathtaking hour 

They rule the velvety summer twilight

They outshine the stars

Because of their precious trust

Drawing near to our stilled bodies

And our peaceful spirits of repose

Each night their trust in us increased

They could feel my breathless joy

At their mysterious secrets

Their nightly visits did not cease

Nor will my love for

Sweet Tuscany ever decrease.

~ tricia woodworth june 12, 2018