The Happiness Passport by Megan C Hayes

Author:Megan C Hayes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Lion 1
Published: 2018-03-12T16:00:00+00:00

ARRANGIARSI

a.ran'dʒa:si: | reflexive verb | Italian

1. to make do; to get by with one’s own ingenuity

Happiness sometimes befalls us as the result of good luck. On these occasions, wonderful sets of circumstances pop up out of the blue, with little-to-no direct effort on our part, and we simply get to sit back and luxuriate in these windfalls. At other times, happiness is hard-won. At these times we scrape together whatever limited means we have at our disposal, and simply make the best of the situation.

When it comes to this kind of resourcefulness, few cultures can compete with the Italians. Italy is the birthplace of some of the world’s most beloved art, music, literature, architecture and of course, food – highlighting what these wonderfully spirited, feisty and generous people can achieve when they put their minds to it.

One uniquely Italian term that may be at the heart of this enterprise and tenacity, and which encapsulates this spirit of resourcefulness, is the reflexive verb arrangiarsi. Literally translating as ‘to arrange oneself’, the connotation of arrangiarsi evokes doggedly adapting oneself to one’s circumstances – even those that are challenging. Yet this is not merely a throwaway term, but a true way of life for many Italians. Indeed, getting by is a well-practised art form, captured in the common phrase l’arte di arrangiarsi, or ‘the art of getting by’. This saying signifies the personal skill and creativity required to survive and thrive even on limited means.

If anything represents l’arte di arrangiarsi in Italy it is their magicianlike ability with preparing delicious food from minimal ingredients. Particularly in the south of the country, a place historically plagued by poverty, taking fresh local ingredients and transforming them into veritable feasts – and a cuisine loved the world over today – evokes the true spirit of arrangiarsi. A somewhat similar concept is found in the Portuguese desenrascanço, the ability to ‘disentangle’ oneself from a tricky situation by finding an artful solution to the problem.

To bring a little of l’arte di arrangiarsi into one’s life is no mean feat. It requires adaptability and seeing creative solutions instead of obstacles – something that is, understandably, not a gift we can all possess, all of the time. Yet arrangiarsi is an empowering concept to keep in mind when it comes to happiness – gently reminding us of the perpetual human drive to adapt and thrive, even in adverse situations.

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