ADAGIO QUARANTINE

Hello all.

Long time no see. Again, break.

So many things have happened since the last time I wrote to you people. Last time we were talking about what this blog means to me, why I don’t post as often as other bloggers do and all that.

The thing is, last time I wrote to you we were living in a different world.

Now, this world, sure, is a little scary, but it has also forced the majority of you to slow down. And how does it feel? I’d like to know how you are living this situation.

Quite frankly, being my motto of life adagio and slow living, most of the time I’m living this situation fairly well. I am lucky enough to have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, I live with a kind, loving man that bakes fresh bread every day, out of my office/bedroom window I see trees and sometimes northern lights. I mean, who am I to complain?

The times I am not living this situation fairly well are the times when I start thinking about my friends and family far away. 90% of them live in North Italy. Some have already gotten sick, my best friend’s grandma has died. Then I think about my family in Portugal, all part of the risk group, and me, literally on the other side of the continent without being able to help them. So there’s the reason for my sleepless nights.

My automatic reaction when things are not okay is shutting things down. And somehow I didn’t feel like sharing recipes or other ”frivolous” stuff on the blog pretending everything’s fine. But at the same time I gotta make a living and this is my number 1 stage for brands to see what I can do and possibly hire me, so here I am. And then I also thought that Klaus’ bread makes my day every day and maybe it can make yours too, since it’s apparently effortless to make. More on that in the next few days.

Last summer the part of my family that lives in Portugal came to visit us and I had posted a few pictures of that happy time in my personal Instagram account with this caption: “Just a friendly reminder to all who have family living close by them: take time to appreciate what a wonderful gift you have and spend time together.”

Yes, I am used to this. In Portuguese, there’s a word to describe this things you’re all feeling right now: saudade.

saudade
/saʊˈdɑːdə/
noun

A feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia that is supposedly characteristic of the Portuguese or Brazilian temperament. It describes a deep emotional state; a yearning for a happiness that has passed, or perhaps never even existed. It carries with it a touch of melancholy, yet in that wistfulness there is love as well. One thing is certain: the object or person of that saudade does not inhabit the present space or time.*

* Perfect explanation of the word by Celinne Da Costa

”Why are you pulling out this Portuguese word?”, you might ask. Well, one reason is that I am half Brazilian and I have felt saudade since I was a kid. It’s normal to feel saudade, especially now. After all, it’s a small side effect for everything’s that’s been going on, all things considered. 

What I was pondering today was, use your time wisely. I know most of you just wish all this would be over. I know you’d like to go and see your loved ones, go on a trip, go to a concert, just go somewhere… But, I hate to break it to you, no matter how hard you wish it for, we have a very little say in this. Sure, we can all do our part, but besides that, this thing is out of our hands. So, embrace this forced slow living and make the most out of it. REST. Bake bread but leave some yeast to the supermarket shelf for others. Take deep breaths, look out of your window, call your sister or give a hug to your kid. Count your blessings. And yes, have saudade sometimes, but also be grateful for what you have. 

How are you doing and how’s the situation in your part of the world? How are you using your quarantine time? I’d love to hear from you; drop me a comment!