By Living We Learn
Vivendo Discimus – By Living We Learn – is a Latin phrase dating back to 1889. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of vivendo discimus. I am finding beauty in the mundane. Simple moments like sunsets, lavender honey, foggy walks to work, and afternoons spent at the local fruit stand bring genuine joy. I appreciate a slow morning and acknowledge the delight of cafe con leche. Walks in the misty rain are becoming customary. Damp laundry is my new normal in Galicia’s climate. I am learning to embrace the nuances with relentless abandon.
I look around and see a city of people living separate lives, each carrying different stories. However, if I look long enough, I can outline shared experiences that tether our innermost selves to each other. My time in Spain has reminded me that while we all hold unique differences, we are more alike than we often acknowledge.
Shared experiences that I’ve marveled in lately:
- The contagion of a deep belly laugh.
- The kindness of a smile.
- The serenity of nature.
- The community found in a table of food surrounded by friends.
- The spark in one’s eyes when talking about that which they love.
By Living We Learn – indeed, we do. I may also add that by living, we make mistakes. We uncover new versions of ourselves. We rethink pre-existing beliefs. We grow more aware. We evolve. By living, we shed old layers and develop new wings. We become; the truest evidence of a life lived well.
