I remember with tenderness the times that my grandmothers used to tell me stories when we stayed to sleep at their houses. They were almost always the same, we wanted them to tell us that story about the ants that had to work lots during the summer in order to collect for the hard winter, and so to have food. My grandmother never got tired of telling that story that, maybe without even her realising, she was actually teaching us something really important, the culture of effort, the culture of working in group to be able to enjoy a calm winter after and with enough stockpile. The value of attitude towards life, which has to be positive, and not consider everything as difficult or complicated, even when something is, because if one wants, difficult situations can be made easier. It is not pleasant to work in summer, it is hot, you do not feel like it, but the ants had to do it in order to not have problems in winter. It is an oral history that has been part of my childhood and I remember it as if it was explained to me yesterday, with that sweet, loving voice. And the good thing about this is that I have practiced it in my day to day life. My work is an ant’s job. And best of all is that I still have my grandmother to thank her every day for having explained to me stories that have turned me into a better person.

I think the novel by Raül Romeva, LES AVENTURES D’EN NAO, EL NEN LLENGUADO published by La Galera, is a fantastic recommendation for today, since it tells the story of Nao, who goes out to stroll with his boat on the island of Menorca with his granddaughter, who curiously is called Bruna, and explains to her that the nights of new moon when in the sky one can see the “tears of San Lorenzo”, are magical nights. When he was thirteen, one of those nights, he experienced an extraordinary story.  He was able to cross the door that separates the human kingdom from the underwater world and became a sole. Not in a dolphin or a fish that we could name of the beautiful and intelligent, but a common sole which, to return to the world of humans, it must undertake a fascinating journey, full of dangers, mysteries and enigmas. And, of course, during that special trip he will meet various unique characters and discover many things that did not know about the bottom of the sea.

In this novel the protagonist is also a grandfather who tells a story to his granddaughter, just as mine used to do, and he explains to her the importance of magical nights, the moon and the sea. In my family grandparents have been a very important axis, not only to explain to us through stories the things as basic as essential of life, but also because they have always been the axis of union between generations. Books, stories, bring more than what we think to our lives, because they do it in silence and without disturbing. So let’s not lose opportunities to read with our children, our grandchildren or our nephews, and enjoy unique and magical moments that, without even realizing, they move to our day to day lives, and we are able to enjoy the simplest things: like a sunset, the sound of the sea, knowing how to listen to the silence in the mountain or, enjoy a coffee with friends without looking at the clock or the phone.

Life is those moments, drops of happiness, and you have to know how to appreciate them and live them intensely, as Nao lives this submarine trip without losing an apex of adventure; with good and bad moments, but from one who keeps one of the best memories of when she was little. How many happy moments have to be saved as little treasures?