Because we want to live life to the fullest, there are many ways we’ve come to express that we know our time here is limited.
You often hear:
“Seize the day.”
“You only live once.”
“Life is short.”
In the movie, “The Shawshank Redemption,” Tim Robbins’ character, Andy Dufresne, says it to his friend, Red, played by Morgan Freeman, this way:
“Get busy living or get busy dying.”
However, my favorite version of this message was expressed by the warrior poet king we know as David, in the Psalms. His words are sober, but man, they excite me, too.
Read and see if you can guess why.
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
– Psalm 103:15-16 ESV
So okay, yes, one day, unless Jesus returns while we’re alive and we’re caught up in the air with Him, we are going to die.
But, did you catch that part about all the “flourishing” we get to do in the meantime?
Here’s what Webster’s dictionary says it means:
flourish: to grow luxuriantly: thrive
So you’re not here to live an ordinary life.
Despite—or perhaps, especially because of—the loud and often hysterically busy world we live in, you’ve been created and equipped for a certain quality of life.
A vibrant, lush, and fertile life.
One might say a sweet life.
Ah, but how do you learn to walk this out on the daily? What are some practical steps you might adopt?
Taking a look at how Italians live out the philosophy they call “la dolce vita”(the sweet life) is a good place to start.
It’s all about living well by practicing slow rhythms and celebrating daily, simple pleasures.
Consider, for instance:
- Making an impromptu visit to a neighbor (with a plate of fresh-baked cookies🍪🍪)
- Creating enough margin in your schedule so you can welcome (rather than want to escape from) an unexpected phone call
- A coffee chat (in person or via online video with that faraway friend)
- Taking a long walk or a short stroll
Get Busy With Beauty and Generosity
Living “la dolce vita” also involves engaging with beauty as much as possible. So you could:
- Cover your walls with art prints from a favorite artist.
- Put fresh flowers💐 on your grocery list. (Take care of those babies right, they can brighten up your home with gorgeousness for two weeks).
- Paint your interiors—or, at least, the space where you spend the most time—in a color that brings you cheer.
- Plant something green 🌿 outdoors, or in a pot for your windowsill 🪴. Or both.🌿🪴
And because good food and sharing it with those you care about is at the heart of “la dolce vita,”
- Look for opportunities to share a meal🍲. Prepare it yourself, or ask each guest to bring a small dish. Easy-peasy, right? Eating out works wonders, too.
- Every once in a while, relax and let go when a cozy gathering continues into the late hours.
Just do whatever step you choose with love (1 Corinthians 16:14).
When love becomes your lens, joy naturally follows. Even the smallest act turns into a sacred offering. And your life can become more than routine—it becomes radiant.
THE FLAVOR TRAIL
🍅ITALIAN STYLE ROASTED TOMATOES
The uncommonly delicious treats known as heirloom tomatoes are plentiful at my local grocer’s (and at yours, too, I hope).
What makes heirlooms so much tastier than standard tomatoes?
Producers of conventionally grown tomatoes focus on uniformity and sell-by dates. As a result, these tomatoes tend to taste “meh” to mediocre at best.
However, heirloom tomatoes are the product of individual families and communities who have saved the seeds and replanted them, year after year, for centuries.
Tomatoes that burst with flavor are those families’ reward and a gift to us.
And that’s why these days you’ll find me preparing heirlooms in every easy way I can think of.
This “Italian-style Roasted Tomatoes recipe“ is one of the tastiest I’ve discovered.
Try it and let me know if you agree. Here again is that delicious roasted tomato recipe.
QUOTES FOR CREATIVES BY CREATIVES
🎨ON SIMPLICITY AND ART
By now, you may have noticed the “we ❤️ Italy” woven throughout this edition of The Museletter.
Since I’ve been working on Italian food and music videos lately (for the surprise I’m preparing for you), my mind is happily abuzz with all things Italian 🇮🇹.
So please join me for a final dive into Italian culture with these snippets of timeless wisdom about simplicity and art by two creative masters.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” (La semplicità è l’ultima sofisticazione.)
—Italian painter, engineer, and scientist Leonardo da Vinci
“Every painting is a song without words.” (Ogni dipinto è una canzone senza parole.)
—Italian painter and architect, Giotto di Bondone
Until the next time, thanx for exploring with me.
And ciao🇮🇹 for now! (No, the girl just can’t stop it😉.)
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