There is a natural tendency for human beings to resist change. Perhaps this is due to our desire for control. The more comfortable and safe something appears, the more we want to stay. This behaviour stems from a certain naivety, as we are always susceptible to the impact of external events. Why do we still cling to familiar circumstances and resist the new despite this awareness?

After several weeks of heat, beach, and fresh food, I returned to my class routine. Returning to the rhythm of waking up early, crossing the city, and listening for hours to content that made me question if I had chosen the right course, only brought back memories of the summer. However, on a Tuesday, when I arrived in class and found no one there, I realised I was so disconnected that I had not checked my emails saying there was no class that day.

On the frustrating walk back home, I received a call from Giovanni. It was his birthday, and he was in Porto. It was such a stroke of luck that he asked if I was up for a lunch. Without hesitation, I took the underground to meet him.

Upon leaving the São Bento station, I noticed that no matter the day or time, there would always be tourists, locals and merchants wandering about. Looking at it brought me a sense of belonging to the city. I had always enjoyed being one among many, and after doing so in different countries, this evolved into a sense of belonging to the world.

On the other side of the street, I spotted Giovanni. He was dressed in light pastel clothes and, as always, carrying his eco bag. I gestured for him to wait, and when the traffic light turned green, I crossed the pedestrian crossing and hugged him.

“Happy birthday, babes!” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Thank you, thank you!” he replied with some emotion, and we moved away from the crowd, which seemed disturbed by us blocking the way.

“I was surprised by your message. I didn’t expect you to be here in Porto for your birthday,” I said as we headed towards the Church of Sé.

“Well, babe. I had planned a trip, remember?” I nodded. “It just so happened that I missed my flight. Which was in some ways very strange, since I was there, I was at the airport, but I found out that the gate I was waiting for was not correct, so I had to run to the other, and when I arrived, they had already left.”

“Are you kidding me?” I asked indignantly.

“Not at all. ” Giovanni replied with sadness. “But I think it was actually a good thing. Thinking about it, I imagined I wouldn’t even enjoy the day because I would be busy doing tourist activities. Being here in Porto makes more sense to me.”

“So let’s make this day count!” I said, setting this as a goal.

It was almost lunchtime, and my stomach wouldn’t let me forget it. Having planned to go to class, I had eaten my first meal early, which intensified my annoyance at not having checked the university portal the day before.

As we were near Ribeira River, I decided to take Giovanni to a restaurant I had once been to and knew had one of the best views of the Douro River. As we walked, he told me about the reflective process he was going through and that he believed it was time to reformulate some things in his life. He had been dissatisfied with his work and routine for some time.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we ordered two Super Bock pints, two Bifanas and some French fries as sides. From our table, we could see people crossing the bridge from one side to the other, and in the distance, the river shimmering with the reflection of the sunlight. Porto had a magic in its simplicity that was hard not to be enchanted by.

“Do you have plans to do something tonight?” I asked as I bit into my extremely tasty sandwich.

“Hmmm, I don’t have anything in mind since I live freestyle today. But I thought it might be interesting to invite some people for a beer later. But to be completely honest? I’m not in the mood for any party.” He said in a cold tone.

“What’s going on, huh? You’ve been so unmotivated recently. It concerns me,” I said.

“Nothing is happening, and I think that’s where the discomfort comes from.”

“Go on,” I said, encouraging him to continue speaking while I enjoyed the food.

“Well, in theory, things are good. My job provides me with everything I need at the moment. I am, in a way, in a peaceful relationship with João. But …” he paused. “I don’t want to be there anymore.”

“Wow!” I said as I wiped my mouth with the napkin. “And what’s stopping you from getting out of this situation?”

“I honestly don’t know. Maybe that’s where the discomfort lies. Nothing prevents me from looking for another job or telling João that things aren’t working out anymore, but in a way, I lack the impulse to do these things.”

“Impulse?”

“Yes!” Giovanni adjusted himself at the table. “Do you remember that physics’ law that says that an external force must be applied for an object to leave its original state?”

“Wow, you made physics sound so poetic.” I laughed.

“Physics helps me a lot to reflect on life.” Giovanni paused thoughtfully. “So, continuing, this ‘external force’ is missing for me.”

“But that can be a little risky, don’t you think?” I continued. “Think about it: if you wait for something from outside to take the next step, how much aren’t you leaving your life to chance? Perhaps this external force is beneficial, but what if it isn’t? Don’t you think you should have the choice to give a better direction to these situations?”

“That’s why the name of this law is Inertia, baby!” Giovanni laughed, and it made me laugh too.

The atmosphere became lighter, and we switched to another topic. I had the opportunity to learn more about my friend, which only made me think about how complex a person can be. Later, we left the restaurant and walked back home. Upon reaching the part where our paths diverged, Giovanni hugged me and thanked me for lunch.

When I got home, I felt my head spin and collapsed on the couch. Perhaps I had drunk more than it seemed and fell asleep right there.

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After a few days, Giovanni sent me a message: he had received an offer to work in another company sector, now in charge of the Porto underground. I couldn’t be happier for him. In the same message, he added: “This time, the ‘external force’ had collaborated in my favour, but I am unsure if this same luck would happen regarding João.”

When I question why we cling to circumstances and do not embrace the new, I think I generalise life too much. After all, what is ‘new’? Do I always have to seek it out? Maybe taking the time to enjoy what is already known could be beneficial.

However, contrary to Newton’s law, I believe that if there are indicators such as dissatisfaction or a desire for something else, we don’t need to wait for something from the outside to dictate what already exists within us.

A.M.