Is loss essential for building cultural narratives?

"I lost that emerald ring that was so rich in memories for me. It wasn’t a living thing, of course, and so it won’t be reborn. But still, the loss of something is significant, and I think that loss is the necessary source of a new manifestation. Some night I might see my emerald ring appear as a green star somewhere in the sky"

Hola,

The year is coming to an end. Although it was an unprecedented year for me I'm grateful that I feel fulfilled these days. Several reflections come to my mind with this quote. "To lose" is able to change the way we interact with subjects. It can be recovered in memories or rituals, and the absence of physical banality give these subject a sacred aura. The loss of this year, a loved one, or an opportunity transports us to completely different affective dimensions. One can argue our culture, yes the one we build day to day with symbols, language and identity subjects, owes its existence to this essence of loss. Reply to this email if you would like to share your opinion about this quote!

Find here a list of things I found worth sharing from last week:

1. Reflect.As someone who regularly checks in on friends, I have the constant fear that I won't be able to offer the expected support in difficult times. A painful situation, like the loss of a loved one, puts us in a state of extreme discomfort and makes us feel lost in life. Indeed, listening rather than disappearing is the first step to show support. Empathize and understand the pain felt put us in a better mood to process feelings and be able to develop a narrative (more than a conversation, as it includes actions) that aims to cope with the situation. Although by doing this it is already enough, and taxing for everyone's psyche, this article gave me tools to face my anxiety of not being up to what is expected.
2. Listen. My favourite album of 2020. Spotify / YouTube. "Fetch The Bolt Cutters" by Fiona Apple is full of powerful lyrics and organically recorded instruments. I loved it from the first time I listened to it last April. These songs and lyrics transmits a lot of intimacy and has an exquisite soul in it. Later, I read that the full album was recorded at Fiona's house... that explains something. I hope you like it as much as me!
3. Read.I started reading best of 2020's lists and I found most of them very American-culture focused. However, by surprise, I found this exciting true story written by Dutch author Rutger Bregman. Please read it and let yourself travel in this magical story. This brilliant piece reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez when he used to publish short stories in journals by the beginning of his career.
4. Time-travel. They discovered thousands of rupester artworks in the Colombian Amazon. Thanks to the peace deal with the FARC guerrilla the whole region is finally being discovered and imagine the number of treasures that can still be found! As it says in the article, the film crew still had to ask for permission to illegal armed groups to be able to enter the zone. However, I'm certain more good news will come from this unknown Colombian regions. Just take a look at the region where these paintings where found. Parque El Chiribiquete
5. Aww♥️. Some don't like humans having fun!

Thanks for reading and have a nice week!

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Diego,

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