::Life at Life's Own Pace::
Three Croatian words for Ordinary Mystics (1 of 3): Pomalo
If I took you to the Croatian coast of Dalmacija, I'd show you three words: Pomalo, Konoba, and Fjaka, my current favorite. They embody a life philosophy that's hard to explain but easy to practice. Since I can’t show you, let me tell you about these three words across three posts—an opportunity to recognize something in your life.
In a literal sense, pomalo (pronounced poh-mah-lo) means "little by little.” It’s an invitation to live ::life at life’s own pace::.
This seductive word plays an outsized role in the way Croatians think of a good life.
Life gives you permission—and invitation—to treat yourself kindly. Pomalo is an invitation to ease into the great story you are a part of.
When you encounter sudden, inexplicable sadness or irritability and choose to let yourself feel it, and when you take a breath and a small step forward, you live pomalo.
When you face a complex challenge, a formidable obstacle, or an arduous journey, and you break it down into steps that you can actually do and enjoy, that’s pomalo.
Pomalo requires you to put your trust in something beyond your own devices and resources. Life is full of allies. The nets can be repaired and the sea will be there tomorrow. The friends are here to help. Pomalo, life sorts itself out.
Underschedule yourself. Leave a margin in your calendar, budget, and energy. Don’t force things. Do what you can, when you can, and the way you can. Respond to life’s invitation to an experience.
In the world of productivity, pomalo restores both perspective and productivity.
Think how much we overestimate what we can accomplish in a week, and how much we underestimate what we can achieve in a year. Every year I find myself wondering how that could be, my 52 lame weeks resulting in a great year! Pomalo is how.
Most importantly to me, pomalo uncrowds my life from oppressive inner nagging to be busy. Instead, it makes me available. And availability is the greatest gift we can give to another and to ourselves.
If you live pomalo, you become available for a spur-of-the-moment call from a friend. You are available to write down your thoughts as they come. When you listen to your lover, acquaintance, or stranger, you can afford to be present. You have inner spaciousness. You can even afford to get lost when caught in the delight of nature, a work project, or a conversation.
Pomalo says: Operate at the speed of life. If you do so, great things will happen. In their time. When Jesus says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,” in my heretical patriotic imagination, that's Jesus being Croatian.
Pomalo is the opposite of hacking. Life is grace, and we, Ordinary Mystics, don’t hack grace.
— Samir
👇🏾 I LOVE to hear from you in the comments.
Three articles in this series:
Pomalo is a practice of living a Life at Life’s Own Pace. Don’t push.
Konoba is a practice of creating Your Public Place. Let people in.
Fjaka is a practice of experiencing being Fully Alive Doing Nothing. Let it all in.
Love this, Samir! Thank you for reminding me to slow down. Samo lagano!