Finally, seen against the backdrop of social turmoil and uncertainty, a quiet rebellion of joy takes on a communal dimension. When groups of people insist on celebrating life—through festivals, music, stories, or mutual aid—they contest narratives that reduce human beings to problems or statistics. García Márquez’s Colombia, marked by conflict and political instability, often found reflection in his work, where collective memory and shared festivity preserved dignity amid violence. In the same way, our own small circles of joy become shelters against collective doubt, demonstrating that hope is not naive optimism but a hard-won, shared practice that dismantles despair one brick at a time. [...]
