An Echo from Littlebeck Farm
Back in the Spring of 2007, my wife and two brothers were able to record our first album out at our Grandmother's farm. It was a meaningful place to be for the recording, and for me personally, it was one of the most memorable times of my life. The following is a portion of a journal entry I made while out at Littlebeck Farm, which was printed on the inside of our CD cover for 22 Blackbirds. It's important for me to have this in our first blog entry, because it captures part of what it means to live life slow.
"When you are out in an open field under a wide blue sky, watching your dogs run, and having no one to talk to, you begin to hear your heart. Mine was remembering God and the faith of my youth. The clutter and busyness of city living quickly lost its grip, and I began to feel a longing for a simpler life.
"I felt all these things over several walks I took in the back fields of Littlebeck Farm during the early stages of our recording. These walks made me quiet enough to realize how empty and clouded I felt. I would pray. My prayers weren’t very organized, in fact, I didn’t use many words. It was more just being quiet and letting myself breathe. I began to see things more clearly, and peace settled in.
"As I took time to think about the songs we had been working on, I noticed a theme for the album. It was home. Being out at my grandmother’s farm made this theme perfect, and I couldn’t help but feel a blessing on the project. I hope that when people hear the songs, they will sense deeper things in their heart, that they will feel peace, and that my grandmother, who misses my grandfather, will feel comfort."
April 21, 2007
As the words from my journal entry echo here, they remind me that I always hear my heart better when I slow down. All of my songwriting happens when I slow down. All of my best art happens when I slow down. All of my favorite memories and most meaningful moments happen when I slow down. And as I think about it now, I don't want to just slow down. I want to learn how to live life slow. This is the journey Starlite Radio has been on and explores in our music. And now we expand that exploration to this blog.