Being old is a victory. It means that we have lived long enough to see what our world is becoming. See the innovations, the inventions of humanity … But also wars and tragedies.
Being old means feeling free, having nothing to prove to anyone, being yourself. You can afford the luxury of refusing invitations or meetings with boring people, you can give lessons to the younger ones (from the height of your experience) and sometimes to do crazy things.

But above all you must be inspiring and set a good example. I came across an article http:// https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/super-seniors-we-admire/ which is fun to read. And that shows old age with other eyes.

Of course, becoming old also means having many ailments. But … this or dying young.

Any person experiments during his/her life the sensation to live in a cage.

It can be professional or personal matter, but the sensation is there: The impression of being caught in a situation that does not allow you to be free.

I have this impression since last year. In fact for one year and a half I didn’t write in this blog. I was ill. Malignant cancer. I had three surgeries, the cancer is gone with the extirpated organs, but I have to wait the canonical five years and check, check, check my health often. Medical exams, IRMs, oncological visits etc. etc.  For now things are all right. I hope they will continue to be fine. A cancer patient is never healed, we can talk about “remission” not “healing”.

The faith helped me a lot. When you have faith, you put yourself in God’s hands no matter what. He will take care of you. Prayers help a lot. My friends priests prayed for me, they celebrated Masses, I am enormously grateful to them all. My wonderful husband was by my side all the time. My sister was close and present. The family is important when you suffer.

For me this is the cage: this situation. The remission. An illness makes you feel like you are nailed and cannot go anywhere.

How I gilded the cage? Through work and charities. Helping the others, those who are less lucky than me. And working, working, working.
Work is a wonderful medicine for any illness.

I warmly wish you Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My garden in Tourrettes-sur-Loup (Provence) at Christmas time

There is a blessed part of the Earth: The South of France. And there is Provence, a part of the region called PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur).
Here the sun shines most of the time and the winter is full of balsamic perfumes: rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus…
The food is wonderful, based on excellent ingredients: cheese, meat, olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables that grow here. There are receipts that come from far away, they passed through centuries for the joy of the palate of generations.
For Christmas, the Provençal table is rich of meals – oysters, foie gras, duck, pork – all prepared in traditional ways.
But I want today to suggest you a meal that is healthy, beautiful and very, very tasty: the bouillabaisse. Continue reading CHRISTMAS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE →

THE ART OF KEEPING YOUR MAN

Why people who get married promising each other eternal love (till death do us part …), come to divorce, sometimes in a stormy manner, with armies of well paid lawyers, with children tossed here and there, with tears, sweat and sometimes blood?

How is it possible to get to this, after the white flowers, the romantic words and the strong attraction between two people?

In what precise moment starts the way of no return, the inexorable descent into the underworld? How you could prevent it?

The answer, at least to me, is: by paying attention to each other. Never, ever, neglect your significant one. Keep the passion alive.

How?

Find here some answers that can help the ladies to keep their man. These are are tips and recommendations arising from my personal experience and also from the observation of my surroundings. And they have all a common denominator: ENHANCE.

1. Smile, smile, smile. Men do not like pouting women who complain for everything. A smile makes life easier and enhances your man.

2. Do not compare your man to the other men, in a negative way for him. Do the contrary.

3. Never speak with nostalgy about your ex. Never. This can produce an irreparable rupture in his soul.

4. Never create a coalition with your children against their father. The coalition must be always between you and your man. Remember that the children will go away and you will remain, grow old, and, if you are lucky, die with your man.

5. Make concessions. Don’t see that as a weakness. Renouncing at something in favor of the beloved one is an act of strength.

6. Prepare his favorite meals for him. Make him perceive life as a feast organized for him.

7. Don’t criticize his choices. Remember that he chose you.

8. Help him to realize his dreams.

9. Be sometimes a mother for him. Some other times a daughter, a sister, a friend.

10. Don’t aim to be equal with the men: it’s not big deal. Be a woman. He will admire you for that.

11. Valorize your man showing interest in his work. In our days, the greatest frustrations in the life of a man come from work. The challenges of the work produce anxiety, the feelings of inadequacy and complexes of inferiority that influence on the other spheres of his personal life. Help him to overcome the difficult moments.

12. Don’t obsess him with your jealousy. It is a wrong feeling, that harm you both.

13. Tell him “I love you”, every day. Caress him, every day. Make him feel the most important man on earth. Every day.

Here it is, I finished the shooting of “Mothers”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEpW0bceR_E

The film is ready for release soon. It is the dramatic story of two mothers, a Muslim and a European, both living in the West of Europe. Their lives are changed for ever by their sons’ choice: They enlisted in the jihad.

Posted by Liana Marabini

The iconic Artist who left us, Prince, author of “Purple Rain”, used to be a spiritual man. I always liked his quotes, this among all: “Everyday I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful”.

He had an eclectic relationship with food. He comes from humble origins. When he was a child, Prince couldn’t afford to eat fast food, so he’d stand outside McDonald’s on Plymouth Avenue in Minneapolis just to smell the food. Which is ironic, because through the years he became a PETA-endorsed vegan who won’t “eat anything with parents”.  Continue reading PRINCE, SPAGHETTI & ART →

Maurizio Cattelan, a very quoted artist will expose at Frieze in New York a donkey. Alive.

I still remember the shameful “artwork” exposed some years ago somewhere in Europe, in an “art” gallery.  A poor dog, alive, that died after some days, without food and water, exposed there, by an “artist”.

Are these people human? Considering their deeds, no. They take themselves for God. Because the dog and the donkey, are not their creations, but creatures of God.

I’m ashamed for you, Cattelan. Vergogna! I thought you were an accomplished artist.

I’m a patron of the arts (of real arts) and I feel sorry for you. Why didn’t you create something by yourself? Is your inspiration dried up? Finita? That is why you exposed the donkey. Why are you not charitable and respectful and protective with an innocent animal?

Who will buy this artwork? Let’s hope, that will be a farmer!

Maurizio Cattelan, Warning! Enter at your own risk. Do not touch, do not feed, no smoking, no photographs, no dogs, thank you (1994).
Image: www.perrotin.com.