Bonito Living

 

 Although I am attracted to beautiful objects, art, and I enjoy looking nice, I am afraid that my love of beauty will cause me to be judged as superficial or flippant. 

As a feminist, talking about beauty is even more difficult, considering the pressure on female bodies to attain a limited ideal of beauty. Beauty in our culture is limited to verbs such as consume, buy, acquire, or like; and yet beauty relates to being, existing, enjoying, emancipating, and changing our world.

  The title of this book, Bonito or bonita are words we use in Spanish to talk about beautiful things, feelings, and sentiments. There are other words like “belleza”, which translates as “beautiful”, but bonito feels cosier. 

 I re-discovered Bonito Living when dealing with mental health issues, caused partly from my attempt at following unattainable ideas of beauty and success. In the process of recovery I went back to my Latin American roots and the way we understand the world as a mixture of magical realism where the extraordinary is hidden in the domestic and simple actions. 

 Bonito Living or Living Beautifully reconnects us with the healing power of our homes, with practices of self-care and a reconciliation with our bodies. This book is an update of the philosophical conversations on beauty and goodness, complemented with the wisdom of South American indigenous communities regarding Buen Vivir (Good Living) infused with Magical Realism. It combines literature, art and experience to offer practical advice to live a meaningful, creative and sustainable life. 

Bonito Living has become my purpose, and my salvation, and it can be also yours.