I dedicated my first book, more than a quarter of a century ago, to my grandmother Pilar, with a brief quote from Babette’s Feast by Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen).
As most know from the Oscar-winning film adaptation by Gabriel Axel, Babette is a prestigious French chef who, fleeing her revolutionized country incognito, is taken in as a maid by two sisters who take care of her venerable father, leader of a small Puritan religious group. in a small Scandinavian town.
Upon winning the lottery prize, Babette decides to spend it entirely on cooking the best feast imaginable for that small community that rejects earthly pleasures. The dinner turns out to be so extremely delicious that, although they had conspired against it and at first try to resist or hide it, they cannot help but enjoy it and end up sharing their joy, their happiness.
My grandmother was a true Babette and that is why I dedicated my book to her, but, if I remember correctly, the phrase I quoted from the novel – How you will fascinate the angels! -is addressed to the pastor’s daughter, who, in a small complementary plot, decides to sacrifice her probable successful career in show business to remain caring for her father with her sister.
Babette’s Feast is a delicious ode to the capacity of art (also culinary) and even more so of the artist to make our lives better, but it is also a reflection on the complex relationship between the value of what we do and the recognition.
Great topic of recognition. The prizes are either lottery or recognition. Either they touch you, or they give them to you.
This week they gave us a prize. We, the entire team, are excited and grateful. We sincerely believe we deserve it, although this is a necessary but not sufficient condition. To receive a prize, you either win it by competing or someone has to notice you and what you do. The awarder must capture what is moving in his environment and evaluate it with judgment and sensitivity. To win these types of prizes you need an angel.
Thank you because ours has appreciated that we deserve recognition for something and has made it known to the rest. In the end, rewarding is staging this act. But in reality, how many people never get the award they deserve? How many people is Babette in her kitchen? How many the most devoted family member? The most empathetic partner? The friend who is always there?
All of them contribute to increasing our happiness index. Without them the world would be a shitty place and our responsibility is to recognize it.
Don’t we already remember that other masterpiece with an angel included titled It’s a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra?
Haven’t we called them yet to invite them to lunch? What are we waiting for to go buy flowers, a scarf, a book?
For now, that WhatsApp is already taking a while reminding them why they are so important, what we would do without them and how much we love them.
