Holydays reflections #3 Party

"Queremos tambores e guitarras
Voando nas ruas
Com a alegria da vida
Que não devia ter fim"

Joaquim de Almeida (poema completo aqui, letra de uma bonita música do Luís Represas - versão com fraca qualidade aqui)

It was 1 a.m. and we had just enjoyed ice creams and waffles at a very nice ice cream shop in the center of Armação de Pêra. We were walking through its central avenue when we noticed how remarkably beautiful was the effect that the moonlight created on the sea. We couldn't resist to walk towards the sea, take off our shoes and step into the seaside. We imagined how it would be if the reflection of the moonlight in the sea were a path leading to another world... At this point I recalled that movie called Truman Show, one of the weirdest movies I have seen. Funny and full of philosophical meaning. Many of us live trapped in some kind of Truman Show. At least temporarily or in some areas of our lives. May we find a way out of it! May we find the courage to travel to the horizon, to the unknown world...

There was a fancy bar at the beach, near the place where we were standing. We could listen to the music that came from that bar. So we started dancing. I don't know how to dance. But I danced that night. We were just jumping around, moving our bodies and laughing like crazy. Letting ourselves be invaded by this wild joy that we are often unable to feel in our daily lives.

I think that human life was designed to be a party. If this world were perfect, if we were perfect, then we should rejoice through life just like happy children with no worries or fears. However, our broken nature originates pain and chaos in our lifes and we are fools and negligents if we continually ignore it. So life can still be a party, but it's a different kind of party. A party where we will drink from the cup of sadness and pain but we may also drink from the source of grace and hope. Sometimes with tears in our eyes and other times with a smile in our face...

And, as we live this strange party, there is, perhaps, a growing longing for another kind of party. The kind of party for which we were designed, the kind of party that is described in the final part of the book of Revelation.

«And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."» Revelation 21:3-4

The deep desire that we feel for something better, for another kind of world and another kind of life is, perhaps, just this loud voice echoing in our souls... And although we can't celebrate all the time we should allow ourselves some moments of wild joy and crazy celebration.

Perhaps the joy that four young friends experience as they dance and laugh at the seaside under a magnificent moonlight at 1 a.m. is just a glimpse of the Perfect Celebration that we shall attend someday.

P.S. I don't know why I am writing this reflections in english. Perhaps its because they are based on my holidays thoughts and I spent those holidays in Algarve, a land whose natives speak mostly english :P