Common Thread

Some of my fondest childhood memories are found in the warm and comforting embrace of food and tradition. As are the vast majority of Americans today, I am the descendant of immigrants. With ancestry rooted mostly in Denmark and Norway, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Switzerland, and probably others as well have weaved themselves into my origin story as well. I remember growing up enjoying lefse and krumkake around the holidays, and the Velkommen sign in my grandma’s kitchen. Over time, those traditions have become memories, no longer a part of my daily custom. However, there is something that strikes a deeper chord than desserts or a welcome sign. There is a rhythm of life experienced in Scandinavian regions called Hygge. It’s a practice of embracing the cozy and comfortable, of a welcoming spirit to friends and neighbors, and a recognition of us all being in this together. Particularly in the freezing northern regions where the dark, cold winters can feel eternally depressing.

One of my absolute favorite things to do in life is to travel and immerse myself in a new culture, language, and custom. We typically try to avoid resort vacations, although there’s something to be said about unlimited coconut shrimp and Margaritas on the beach. More often, we stay in modest accommodations, eat local fare, and do our best to learn and experience the culture of whatever corner of the world is graciously hosting us at the time. I’ve found some common themes that seem to weave through our shared humanity, revealing that at our core we are much more alike than certain talking heads would like us to believe.

Hawaii greets us with aloha. Aloha. The same word being used for many different purposes that include a greeting as well as love. The phrase is used often to “live aloha”. Live welcome. Live love. Traveling south to the beautiful and peaceful land of Costa Rica, which by the way does not even have a national military, we are embraced and welcomed by “Pura Vida”. They abolished the national military in 1949, instead redirecting funds toward education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Similar to aloha in Hawaii, pura vida is used in many different ways but always carries with it a philosophy of gratitude, simplicity, and joy. In France, this same concept is at the heart of French living. “Joie de vivre” describes all the goodness of slowing down to enjoy the deliciousness of a good espresso and croissant, spending the afternoon in a park with some fine wine and cheese, or simply strolling through the streets with no agenda. They actually have a word for that. To “flaneur” is to just casually walk through the streets, aimlessly aware of all the beauty happening around you and just enjoy the journey.

Isn’t this what we’re really all longing for in our life? Hygge. Aloha, Pura Vida. Joie de vivre. There’s a lot of bad in the world. A lot of division and far too much hate. We have somehow forgotten that we have a shared humanity that really gives us much more in common than we may realize. Conceptually, it’s perhaps easier to see this on a global scale, and yet miss the fact that our neighbors also share this same, common thread of humanity. Our mandate to love our neighbors doesn’t come with fine print. No caveats or loopholes. We don’t get to neglect this because our neighbor looks different, speaks a different language, or has a different set of beliefs than we do. And to make this a bit clearer, your neighbor’s immigration status does not exempt you from loving them, from welcoming them, and embracing them as human beings with dignity and compassion. This will be the bridge that erases the lines that divide, and brings unity to our community, healing to our nation, and a sense of hygge, aloha, pura vida, joie de vivre, or whatever you want to call it, to our lives. Paz y amor.