Finally, the terraces reopen, we urgently need the “noise” to feel free again

By Massimo Usai

(Italian version)

It is official, the terraces and bars of half of Europe will reopen this day.

Honestly, I was starting to think this day would never come.

Some people may think it’s not enough. They may not even consider a return to normality with just half of the business allowed to open. Still, the fact that something and someone will be back on the street is an excellent day to celebrate.

“Noise”

Do you remember what it is?

Winter is cold, so no one wants to stay out.

So it wasn’t so evil or terrifying not to see so many people on the street during the cold season.

Winter without open terraces wasn’t that unusual. Still, I missed the Christmas markets, drinking rum-flavoured hot wine and that cinnamon smell mixed with fried or sweet aromas on the street of that typical winter and Christmas food.

Yes, I missed the hot wine and slowly started thinking maybe I would never get into a bar, and every time I went out, I couldn’t wait to get home.

Close me down and isolate me.

There is no holiday project in our minds, just the plan of what movies or TV series to watch in the evening.

However, the streets around me mainly looked the same as before, and I only started noticing the absence of people and the “noise” once the weather got a little better and still no one was out. No one in the shops and shutters of the bars still closed.

No laughter or flashing glasses, no place to sit, read a book.

The world was so quiet that I started hating it.

So now I’m excited about a lot of things that are going to happen.

I’m excited about a return to (almost…) normality, seeing my friends and trying new things I couldn’t experience as I got older in front of Netflix.

I’m actually excited that the world has that feeling of life again.

The moment I got vaccinated was the turning point inside me. I realized that things would change.

Those in line had the same feeling; there is a smile on all faces and the awareness that the fight against the Virus could be won.

It has not yet been fully won, but we are on the right track.

I’ve been lost in silence for the last 15 months, and I’ve noticed that I missed the noise too much.

I love quiet, but only because it’s the consequence of noise.

I missed the noise so much that I’ve been hateful for a few months.

It’s time to re-balance everything.

To make sense of our new life.