Små Små Steg

…which means “Small, small steps” and is the name of a song which has been stuck in my head for about a week now. It is not a new song in Sweden, by any stretch of the imagination, but it was new to me as I continually (and haphazardly) look for new windows into Swedish. This song is from an artist called Mitt Piano (My Piano), which consists of the Swedish journalist Alexandra Ramnewall. This song came out a couple of years ago as a single but her first full album was just released last month, including this song. Here is the song and my (quite liberal) translation:

Små Små Steg

Small, small steps

Stanna kvar Snälla sov över här Jag är din nu Jag öppnar mig Du får ta del av min förvirrade världNitton dar Vi har väl känt varandra tillräckligt länge nu Jag öppnar dörren Snälla stanna här tills det blir ljust Det var när du sa: Du tar ju bara små små steg Det händer ingenting, det där Du måste våga chansa mer Våga se vart det bär Ner för gatorna Över parkeringen Håll ihop mig Vi delar en taxi Tio minuter, jag är din i kväll Följ med mig hem Om du är osäker, så var osäker med mig Bortglömda känslor, raderade tankar Nu minns jag igen Det var när du sa: Du tar ju bara små små steg Det händer ingenting, det där Du måste våga chansa mer Våga se vart det bär

Please don’t go Just stay the night I am yours now I open up myself And you can be part of my confusing worldNineteen days And we have known each other long enough now I open up the door So, please, stay till it becomes light That was when you said: You only take small, small steps Nothing ever happens that way You have to risk taking more chances Risk seeing what they might bring Down onto the streets Over the parking lot Stay with me We split a taxi Ten minutes and I am yours for the night Come home with me If you are uncertain, then be uncertain with me Forgotten feelings, long-lost thoughts Now I remember them again That was when you said: You only take small, small steps Nothing ever happens that way You have to risk taking more chances Risk seeing what they might bring

Of course, this song’s lyrics suggest that small, small steps are a bad thing but I’m actually feeling more positive about small, small steps. We keep creeping forward, slowly but inexorably. Of course there are times in life when everything changes in one fell swoop, but in general I’ve taken to thinking about like a dieting: you know how most health professionals will advise against sudden, extreme diets? Sure, you may loose a bunch of weight in the short term but you almost always gain it back and more. Instead they will recommend slow, steady changes to your lifestyle, which are maintainable. I think that advice works well for most things in life–or at least in my life.

And, no, this doesn’t have to do with anything in particular. I just feel pleased that we are taking small steps forward. Yuki is off in Öland for the next couple of months to do his research and I am here in Uppsala on my own until I decide to ditch and visit my family in the States. I still haven’t decided dates (it isn’t helped by the fact that we decided to turn our balcony into a jungle this year and I’m afraid all of our precious veggies will die if I leave them for several weeks at high summer) but mostly I am enjoying my lazy summer life. Sure, it’s only 15 degrees outside but I spend my days translating, playing piano, exercising (not enough of that) and procrastinating (too much of that). My diet is becoming more and more raw–not out of any particular motivation but just because I’m too lazy to cook for myself on sunny days like this. Forget standing in front of a hot stove for ages; I’d much rather throw some fruits and veggies in a blender and sip down a smoothie while enjoying the blue sky after the long, long winter. Hopefully it will warm up enough soon to start putting the plants outside, then I will put up some pictures of our little green balcony…