We love this nation, although of course like any place, Italy has its share of negatives and downfalls. But somehow, when we look back over the years, all we see are the people we’ve grown to love. The beauty of the land and culture. And the thread of God’s unwavering faithfulness woven through from beginning to end..
This is Italy, land of our hearts.
The memory of our first Italian train ride lingers with me to this day. We were on our way to Italy’s deep south! Today’s modern trains have dining cars, snack bars, and computer hookups.
But back in 1989, shouting Neapolitan men strode the aisles selling snacks out of dish pans! Just grab a dubious-looking paper cup jammed in among the bottles of water, soft drinks, and bags of chips, and enjoy!
Lunch? No problem! As lunchtime approached other vendors boarded, dish pans now filled with cellophane-wrapped sandwiches made fresh that day (?) or fresh coconut, cut and ready to eat.
Like an old Italian movie, rambunctious children jostled among the shouting vendors. Old women, as big around as they were tall. Screaming babies. And Italian mammas pulling endless quantities of food from immense shopping bags or baskets. Giant sandwiches, boiled eggs, cheese, bread, fruit, wine, and even pasta!
So this is Italy, I thought. This is really Italy!
Yes, that was Italy, the Italy of yesteryear. Which to a large degree has disappeared, as the younger generations become more cosmopolitan. But what a delight it was! The food vendors, the shouted conversations, and gesticulating hands. The mammas stuffing food into chubby mouths, in between cuffs on the ear for poor behavior.
And all against the beauty of the marvelous scenery, rolling past the windows. It was then that Italy became engraved on our hearts. A love that has never dimmed.
The Deep South
“Ah, you’re going to Italy’s deep south!” a fellow passenger from a neighboring town informed us. And before day’s end, we learned what a long way down the boot it was!
Hubby’s birth area, Cilento, was (and still is) like another world! And in shock, like Carlo Levi of the film Christ Stopped at Eboli, I wondered if we’d landed in some 3rd world nation instead of 20th century Europe!
The first time we watched the film Christ Stopped at Eboli, some years ago, it seemed we’d traveled back in time and place. Back to that first visit in my husband’s hometown which so gripped our hearts and minds. It’s a film worth finding and watching, because it illustrates that old world of the southern Italian mountain villages far better than I ever could. Check it out at IMDb.
But I fell in love with the rural mountain villages of Italy’s deep south that day
And their unfathomable fascination continues to pull at my heart. An indescribable something in the culture and beautiful, simple people. Something far beyond the beauty of the landscape. Something intangible that tugs at the heart and soul.
Watch the film if you can find it. It’s worth it!
But beware! You might fall in love with Italy and its special villages too!
You may have the universe, if I may have Italy.
Giuseppe Verde
Images: Train by Engin Akyurt |Beverages by StockSnap.
Signora Sheila 
Since Liz’s family is Italian (Sicilian) and I’m an “adopted” son in one other Italian family, there’s a lot of cultural things I recognize in there. My favourite was “cuffs on the ear for poor behaviour”. 😉 (Though I’ve never been on the receiving end thankfully!)
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Ha, that’s a good one, Mike! I’ve never been a recipient of ear cuffs either. But I loved that first train ride and all the cultural exposure we got even from just that. Exposure which started a never-ending love affair with the nation!!
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I love how well you love where the Lord has taken you! How you’ve embraced Italy with a passion and purpose that can only come from a loving Father who has engraved this country and her people on your heart!
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Well spoken, Dayle! I am totally convinced that it is the Lord who has engraved them on our hearts. Yes, Italy is a beautiful land; that’s well-known. But the love he placed in our hearts goes so far beyond that, that I know it’s not simply a human love. Not just a love for the beauty, the fabulous food, and the wonderful dolce vita. Our only prayer is that we can truly make a difference here!
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Well spoken, Dayle! I am totally convinced that it is the Lord who has engraved them on our hearts. Yes, Italy is a beautiful land; that’s well-known. But the love he placed in our hearts goes so far beyond that, that I know it’s not simply a human love. Not just a love for the beauty, the fabulous food, and the wonderful dolce vita. Our only prayer is that we can truly make a difference here!
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For some reason I haven’t received your posts via email in a long time. That’s sad because I know I’m still “following” according to WordPress. My gosh this area is so beautiful! I do pray it works out that I could travel to southern Italy next Fall on a mission trip. It would be a dream to meet you, ❤
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Perhaps you should check your settings in the reader Ellie. Where Sheila Scorziello is listed as a blog you follow, click on settings. Perhaps the “Email me new posts” button got turned off somehow. Otherwise you could try resigning up through my “Follow blog via email” widget. Anyway, if you do make it over – let me know. Perhaps we could meet up somewhere. That would be like a dream come true!! And yes, it is a beautiful area!!
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Thanks Sheila, I’ll try that. (I’ve noticed WordPress seems to change the “goal posts” from time to time.) If I remember right, the trip is to Paglia and it looked gorgeous!
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I’ll look that up, and will be praying for the Lord to open the right doors!!
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Through your pictures and descriptions it would be easy to fall in love with such a place.
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Well, we sure think so. But we have known others who ran away. Such quaintness and isolation was too much for them. I believe that’s because God prepares our hearts ahead of time for the place he wants us to serve in. But I’m glad you seem to be falling in love with it too!!
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I also love reading your posts about Italy and looking at the beautiful photos.
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Oh good! I’m SO glad Shari. These are some of the easiest posts for me to write because I love this place so much. And want everyone to fall in love with it – and pray for it!!
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Italy sounds so beautiful. 🙂 I absolutely love reading your blog because it’s so easy to visualize and be a part of what you’re describing! Thank you for continuing to share your experiences. 🙂 xo
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Awe thanks. Those are such generous and encouraging words! I imagine it’s because I truly have a great love for this place and its people. This really is the land of my heart (after heaven) and I love sharing about it!
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Of course. 🙂 And yes, I am sure you do, it certainly comes across. 🙂 I love reading it, thank you for writing! 💖
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Thank you! What an encouragement!!!
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