A permanent sense of AWE. #5

La vida es una tómbola

Hi friend,

I hope this message finds you in good spirits and energized for good things to come.

Personal energy comes in two flavours.

One is the sheer vitality you get in the best part of your day, like the raw power you feel after a great sporting session or reinvigorating power nap. When you’ve been eating wholesome, diverse food and keeping yourself hydrated, while landing peaceful, undisturbed sleep at night, at regular rhythms.

Another is the drive to deliver gratifying things. To chase after passion. That tickling in your chest that tells you that you found something meaningful to pursue, the thing that gives your life meaning. Japanese folks have a word for purpose in life — Ikigai — the sense that life is worth living. Something to wake up for in the morning. Having Ikigai is linked to longer lives. Longer and more rewarding, imagine that.

You can sense the work of the folks behind the magazine Are We Europe (AWE) is Ikigai-driven. Quality and passion permeate content and design on every edition.

Collages using public domain images are a classy touch, and the typography is spot on.

AWE brings together the diverse tapestry that makes contemporary Europe unique. People and ideas from all ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds share surprising, thought-provoking pieces that range from favourite childhood foods from their country of origin (this could be Venezuelan Arepas) to the enduring Gaelic language spoken in Ireland to certain words that only make sense in the context of a specific sport. Did you know that a rookie surfer is called a “shark biscuit” and that a twisting double summersault performed on the trampoline is called a “fliffis”, in gymnastics? You’re welcome.

AWE recently sent members a pile of cards with family recipes from contributors. Thoughtful AND tasty.

Very telling that the magazine name is framed as a question, being that Europe is in a constant search of its identity. We are this search.

Multiple times have I travelled memory lane back to Argentina this past week, South America via Western Europe.

There was this time in which Manu Chao sang for Maradona in the streets of Buenos Aires, an idol of his and so many footballing fans, and Kusturica was there to film it. He sings “el mundo es una bola que se vive a flor de piel”, the world is a ball to be lived intensely (loose translation).

Remember to feed your Ikigai,

Fred