Jack Boswell delves into saudade, a Portuguese word often described as untranslatable. Saudade captures a complex mix of longing, melancholy, and bittersweet nostalgia - a "pleasant sadness" that simultaneously consoles and aches. Jack unpacks the profound emotional resonance of this concept and how it might help us navigate difficult feelings in our own lives.

Jack begins by speaking with Helder Macedo, a celebrated writer and Emeritus Professor of Portuguese at King’s College London. Helder describes saudade as the paradoxical feeling of longing for something - be it a person, moment, or way of life - that is gone, yet whose absence offers a bittersweet comfort. Rooted in Portugal’s maritime history, where separation and uncertainty were common, saudade shaped the national psyche and found expression in Fado, Portugal’s iconic music. Helder likens it to a pinch of salt - enhancing when balanced but overpowering if excessive.

The episode also features Christina Branco, a renowned Fado singer who shares how her music channels the vulnerability and raw emotion of saudade. For Christina, Fado - a genre deeply intertwined with this feeling - is both a personal catharsis and a mirror for her audience, encouraging them to confront their own emotions. She shares how Fado helps her transform pain into strength and creativity.

Through heartfelt conversations, Jack learns how saudade resonates in art, memory, and even daily life. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own moments of longing and consider how embracing vulnerability can deepen connections, foster resilience, and inspire transformation.

Host: Jack Boswell Producer: Emma Crampton Senior Producer: Harry Stott Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari Production Coordinator: James Cox Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4

Jack Boswell explores the Korean concept of Nunchi - a cultural practice that centres on deeply attuning to one’s surroundings and gauging others' unspoken thoughts and emotions. Through the lens of Nunchi, we learn about how silence and observation can speak louder than words.

Joining him is Euny Hong, author of The Power of Nunchi, who shares her own journey with Nunchi and what it reveals about human connection. Euny describes Nunchi as more than mere intuition - it’s a way of tuning into the subtle cues in our environment and adjusting our behaviour accordingly. In one memorable story, she recounts an awkward moment at a party that could have been avoided with a bit more sensitivity to the room’s mood - a stark reminder of how easily we can misread social situations when we’re too focused on ourselves.

Jack also sits down with Dr Jin Park, a professor of philosophy and religion, to delve into the deeper cultural roots of Nunchi. For Koreans, she explains, Nunchi is more than just a social skill - it’s a way of living in harmony with others in close quarters. In South Korea's densely populated cities, where space is limited, people grow up learning to pick up on non-verbal cues and anticipate each other’s needs, creating a collective sense of peace and understanding. Dr Park shares a touching story about a small but powerful gesture that epitomises the care and attentiveness that Nunchi fosters.

This episode offers listeners a chance to reflect on how tuning into our surroundings and being mindful of unspoken cues can enrich our relationships and bring more harmony into our lives. It’s an invitation to cultivate a quieter form of attentiveness, one that values silence and subtlety, and to find ways to truly see and understand the people around us.

Host: Jack Boswell Producer: Emma Crampton Senior Producer: Harry Stott Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari Production Coordinator: James Cox Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4

Jack Boswell explores northeast India to uncover the ancient, awe-inspiring tradition of Meghalaya’s Living Root Bridges.

Joining him is Dr Wilfrid Middleton, a researcher in Living Architecture, who’s been studying these extraordinary structures since 2017. Grown from the aerial roots of the Ficus elastica tree, these resilient bridges are woven over generations, offering the community not just a passage across rivers but a deeper connection to nature and protection of their land, withstanding monsoon rains and landslides.

Wilfrid explains how these living bridges grow under the hands of villagers, shaped over decades by careful guidance and community collaboration. They thrive and strengthen over time, adapting to the changing landscape around them. The bridges serve both as a literal and symbolic bridge across generations, uniting people in a shared effort that will serve future villagers long after the builders have gone.

Jack also speaks with Morningstar Khongthaw, founder of the Living Bridge Foundation, who passionately describes his mission to preserve and nurture these bridges for future generations. Morningstar reflects on the responsibility he feels to educate younger villagers in the art of building and maintaining the root bridges - a skill passed down through stories, hands-on practice, and the patient guidance of elders. For him, these living bridges embody a philosophy of life that values endurance, harmony with nature, and a vision that stretches far beyond one lifetime.

This episode invites listeners to rethink modern building practices and embrace the wisdom embedded in Meghalaya’s living bridges. These remarkable structures offer a model of regenerative design, resilience, and community spirit, reminding us of the powerful legacy that thoughtful, patient care can create. In an age of rapid construction, the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya show us that sometimes, the best way forward is to take the long view.

Host: Jack Boswell Producer: Emma Crampton Senior Producer: Harry Stott Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari Production Coordinator: James Cox Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4