A process of coming and going

Na minha cidade do interior
Perto da manhã, na boca do sol
Pra quem mora lá, o céu é lá

In my town
Close to the morning, in the mouth of the sun
For those who live there, the sky is there.

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Whenever I hear Arthur Verocai’s song, Na Boca Do Sol (In the Mouth of the Sun), it takes me to a place where nostalgia exists alongside hope and aspiration. The English translation, however imperfect, conveys an image of a train coming and going from his home, in his small town. There is a sense of continuity that the train represents. Every day, it departs and arrives at sunrise, traveling along with the past and the present all at once. It’s a beautiful song that very much feels like a metaphor for life. Although our individual experiences range widely and we all face different levels of systemic challenges in the world, we are all in a constant process of coming and going, within ourselves and in relation to the world around us.

I invite you to listen along, close your eyes, and take the ride.