What did Clarissa figure out — so many years ago — that I still can’t grasp? I want to feel the shake of joy. I abandon myself to joy. That’s a worthy aspiration.
This week, I abandoned myself to rest.
Not by choice, but by sickness. Nothing serious, though in the throes of minor malaise everything feels serious. Ravaged, wracked and aching, I moped through fatigue, despondence, sadness, and sloth.
I slept for days, the body commanding pace. And lazed on the couch, consuming movie after movie. Swedish! Spanish! German! All the foreign films that usually feel like too much work. But reading subtitles, I’ve found, is an excellent distraction from your aches and pains.
Some favorites:
Familia is set in Baja, Mexico’s wine valley and features a full-bodied, tender depiction of family bonds. Light on action and heavy on dialogue, this 2023 film feels emotionally real. I loved it!
Adolescence is “harrowing but heartfelt” four-part series that follows a family ripped apart when a 13-year-old student is arrested for killing a classmate. The fictionalized story is brought to life by telling details, taut acting, and tight camerawork. It’s intense and captivating.
The Breakthrough is a clever and sensitive Swedish four-part drama based on a book by a journalist and genealogist. Unlike many in the true-crime genre, this taut series avoids exploitation and instead aims the focus on police procedure, technology advances, and humanity.
Any Day Now — I loved this television series when it aired in the late 1990s. The show centers on the friendship of two women, black and white, who grew up in the 1960s. Lorraine Toussaint and Annie Potts star as the lifelong friends who openly explore race in their lives and community. While this show is not available on any streaming platform, a super-fan has uploaded every episode to YouTube, where you can watch for free.
I also caught up on popular culture, watching every season of Hacks (seasoned comedian paired with young writer — loved it!) and White Lotus (I get the appeal; it’s an elevated soap opera in a pampered setting).
In my hazy retreat, I also continued my pursuit of reading every single thing written by Roxana Robinson.
And then, quick as a wink (or a few days slumber) the illness lifted.
I showered, dressed, and returned to the world. My restoration complete.
How about you? How do you rest and restore?
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