The complete briefing will be available
soon. Thank you!
Monday, December 9, 2024
Sunday, December 1, 2024
December 1, 2024: ROMANIA's NATIONAL Day
Each
year, on December 1st, Romanians throughout the world and in the
country, celebrate their National Day with a renewed sense of national pride.
Romania is an old country, with a rich culture and by honoring their roots, Romanians
always bring forward their beautiful traditions, songs or poems.
La mulţi ani, România! La mulți ani tuturor românilor de
pretutindeni!
● Brief historical background:
This
is one of the most important Romanian national holidays, and it is called the
“Great Union Day” or the “Unification Day” (Romanian: "Ziua Marii
Uniri") and in many parts of the world it is known as
“National Romania Day”. This special holiday marks the unification of Transylvania, Bessarabia
and Bukovina with the Romanian Kingdom in 1918. According to ‘Alba Iulia
Proclamation’, all these Romanian regions joined Romania as a country.
The Union marked the country’s history
forever, but after that Romania had to pass through many other changes and
challenges and some of them included the World War II, the Communist regime and
the 1989 Revolution. Despite numerous hardships, it
is also appropriate to mention that Romania still looks ahead with sound
optimism, but it does not forget its past.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Group celebration – ROMANIA’s NATIONAL DAY 2024
The complete briefing will be available
soon. Thank you!
Friday, November 15, 2024
POEM: “Come, Little Leaves”
 |
Through
simple yet evocative language, Cooper invites his readers to embark on a
journey through the transition from summer to winter, told from the perspective
of the changing leaves.
A
classic poem that captures the autumn leaves' journey from the wind's call to
the winter sleep, as well as the joy, the farewell and the beauty of nature's
cycle in a simple yet suggestive manner.
🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿
~ short video clip (this poem in audio
version) ~
Monday, November 11, 2024
November 11, 2024: REMEMBRANCE Day
The annual commemoration of the nation’s
heroes – “Remembrance Day” (also known as the “Veterans’ Day” or the “Memorial
Day”), each year on November 11th – The time of the
year to pay tribute, to reflect and to honor all those brave veterans who
risked their lives so we can live in peace today, which reminds us again that
in fact freedom does have an expensive price! Lest we forget!
● Basic background info:
ARTICLES: “Remembrance Day in
Canada” | “10 Quick Facts
on... Remembrance Day” (documentation offered by the Government of
Canada)
Remembrance Day: History and traditions (documentation
offered by the Government of Canada)
Remembrance Day being marked across Canada to honour veterans (coverage offered by “Global News”)
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Philosophers’ Café with ALICE & Friends: October 2024
The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!
Friday, October 18, 2024
Alice’s Book Club – AUTUMN session of 2024
As
autumn gently continues to reveal its beauty in our part of the world, on
Friday (October 18, 2024), I hosted the fourth edition of our seasonal book
club series – occasion which marks the last session of this type for the
current year! The
selected book (we choose as a group) for discussion was quite
fascinating and profoundly informative, resulting in numerous ‘aha’ moments.
Once
again, dear ones, I would like to refresh that reading is an indispensable
skill in life, which allows you to discover new facts, by opening for you the
door to new ideas, stories and opportunities. This beautiful habit of reading
books could bring people knowledge & wisdom, making them more intellectual
& sensible.
Also,
since this was the last book club session of the year, I would like to extend a
heartfelt thank you to all those loyal, dear friends who each time (not
just occasionally) make themselves available to honor my
invitations, and who genuinely & continuously are supporting the activities
of ALICE & Friends Circle™.
Until
our paths will meet again on the same wavelength, my best regards to all!
Alice
Reading could be a
valuable source of personal growth, knowledge and inspiration, continually enriching
the mind.
Monday, October 14, 2024
October 2024 – Message for THANKSGIVING Day
Today (October 14’24) in
Canada we celebrate a new Thanksgiving Day, occasion which allows me to
send along another bunch of heartfelt wishes to all my dear friends (old
& new, closer or more distant), collaborators (occasional or
recurrent) and at large sympathizers of ALICE &
Friends Circle™ for their ongoing support throughout the almost 7 (seven) years
of existence of our literary and socio-cultural group!
I always enjoy working with thoughtful and positive people! Please continue
stay close, to be compassionate, to be wise, to lend a hand, because in the end
I believe that we all will be blessed with the splendid joy that only kindness
brings along...that special Joy which is so uplifting and refreshing for our
souls.
Nay we continue to enjoy each other's presence, while attending our Circle's events!
Saturday, October 12, 2024
The Beauty of Love & Trust
STORY: Hold My Hand
Once
upon a time, a little girl and her father were crossing a tall bridge. Father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart,
please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."
The
little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."
"What's
the difference?" asked the puzzled father.
"There's
a big difference," replied the little girl…"If I hold your hand & something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go, but if you
hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what, you will never let
my hand go."
The best proof of love is
trust!
Sunday, September 22, 2024
September 22, 2024: Happy AUTUMN, dear friends!
Officially speaking, today (September
22’24) is the first day of a new autumn (also known as the autumnal equinox) in our Northern Hemisphere,
occasion which allows me to send along my best regards to all for a prosperous season ahead!
occasion which allows me to send along my best regards to all for a prosperous season ahead!
Pleasing harvest,
dear ones! Let the
bounty of this autumn fill
your hearts and homes!
"Coboara toamna-ncet din slava. Naframa galbena-i rasare...." (Octavian Goga)
● A
brief oasis of poetry and inner reflection:
● (Ro)
”Şi totuşi, vine toamna... Şi tu
o simţi şi o îngâni... Şi totuşi, vine toamna... Şi vai, suntem
bătrâni! ”
”Totuşi toamna” (poem de Adrian
Păunescu; interpretare Tatiana Stepa)
– video clip
● (English)...September musical notes...”Try To Remember, the kind of September” (song
interpreted by Harry Belafonte)
● Short scientific briefing on AUTUMNAL EQUINOX:
The Autumnal Equinox is an astronomical event, nearly
noticed by everyone, marking the arrival of fall in Northern
Hemisphere. During the equinox, the night & day have almost the same
length (12 hours) throughout the
world. The word "equinox" derives from Latin, meaning “equal
night". The equinox happens when the equator passes the centre of the sun.
This is when the North & South Poles of the Earth are not tilted towards or
away from the sun, as at other times, but are aligned so as to give,
theoretically, the same amount of daylight in both of the Earth's hemispheres.
Saturday, September 21, 2024
September 21, 2024: INTERNATIONAL PEACE Day
September
21st 2024 reminds us that the entire world unites to celebrate International Peace Day, and the theme for this year is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.”
PEACE…what is “Peace”? Peace is the path we each take if we wish to
bring along growth and prosperity, in order to make our society a better place to live
in.
It has been observed countless times that if we do not have peace and harmony within
ourselves first, achieving political strength, economic stability and cultural
growth will be impossible. Therefore, if we truly wish to transmit the notion
of peace to others, it is vital for us to make sure we have it within, while
keeping in mind that is not only a certain individual’s responsibility, but
everyone’s duty.
”World peace can be achieved when, in each person, the power of love replaces the love of power.”
● Historical background info:
“The International
Day of Peace, also officially known as World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on 21 September.
It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. The day was first celebrated in 1981 and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and people.” (Source: Encyclopedia)
It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. The day was first celebrated in 1981 and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and people.” (Source: Encyclopedia)
Friday, September 20, 2024
Alice’s Book Club – SUMMER session of 2024
On Friday (September 20, 2024) I was glad to
organize the summer book club session for my Circle, focusing on a very
interesting theme: Human behavior –
the importance of human social conduct vis-à-vis of knowledge. Needles to say that all my Canadian friends invited to this event were
so inspirational in their deliveries and perspectives, highlighting the profound impact thoughts and attitudes have on behavior and character.
As usual, respecting the privacy of the matters
discussed, here are few useful concepts emerged from our conversations, which
might be of interest to you:
– Human behavior is profoundly shaped by social
interactions and the expectations of collective life
– The importance of human social conduct lies in its ability to foster
cooperation, trust and empathy among individuals, ensuring societal stability
and cohesion
– Polite communication, ethical decision-making and
respect for shared norms cultivate environments where collaboration thrives,
and conflicts are minimized
– Social conduct influences learning, emotional
well-being (even physical health), highlighting the interconnectedness of
personal actions & communal outcomes
– By prioritizing ethical and responsible behavior, humans sustain
relationships, build communities, and advance cultural and moral development,
underscoring the essential role of social responsibility in daily life.
In closing, once again, my most sincere appreciation
to all my friends who were able to join me this evening, wishing them each a
wonderful rest of the season! Until we meet again, my warmest regards to all!
Alice
”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not
an act, but a habit.” (Aristotle)
Sunday, September 15, 2024
About the human BEHAVIOUR
Extrapolating a bit, we could safely affirm that human behavior
refers to the way people act, interact and/or react with others and with the surrounding
world, aspects which could be influenced by many things, such as feelings, the
environment, or past experiences (more or less significant, but with extensive ramifications).
In other words, human behaviour encompasses everything from our thoughts and feelings to our physical actions, which are often shaped by where we
are and who we are with (for instance, if
we are with friends, we might act differently than when we are alone).
Anyhow, clear is
the fact that every day, we make choices that reflect our behavior, or choices
that shape our behaviour.
Personally,
I truly believe that human behaviour is an interesting blend of both nature and
nurture, having on one hand the individual’s genetic predisposition, and on the
other hand having culture, upbringing, as well as peer influence….all leaving fantastic and long lasting imprints on people.
The
reason I’m bringing this subject forward is to emphasize how important it is
for each of us to realize how much we could be influenced by others, many times
without even realizing it! Human conduct is very complex and at times it does
help a lot to pause, to reflect and only then to proceed (with cautious, if necessary).
Of course, there will never be a one-size-fits-all kind of explanation for why we
do what we do, but I’m confident that the ongoing research and continuous advancement
in neuroscience combined with psychology’s constant achievements will keep
people on the right track towards gaining a much deeper and clearer understanding
of the intricacies of mankind behavioural matters, benefiting the entire world as
a whole!
“With knowledge
comes power – power to change patterns for better decision making, fostering
healthier relationships and creating societies where everyone feels understood
and valued.”
Saturday, August 31, 2024
August 31, 2024: ROMANIAN LANGUAGE Day
August 31st highlights the ROMANIAN
LANGUAGE DAY, which offers Romanians (around
the world & in the country) a new occasion to honor their roots.
May we each take a moment to remember
Eminescu’s comment vis-à-vis of this, which says: “The language is the very
flower of Romanians' ethnic soul”.
”Cine nu gândeşte în limba maternă şi-a uitat drumul spre casă.”
● Academia Română (follow the link to learn more about the Academy.... Romanin Academy) – Sesiunea festivă „Ziua Limbii Române“ (video clip)
● Historic
background info:
Romanian Language is mother tongue of around 30
million individuals, taught as a foreign language in universities, in 45
countries.
Romanian Language
Day
is “celebrated nationally on August 31, starting from the year 2013 when the
law establishing this holiday was enacted. The programs and
cultural-educational events, with evocative or scientific characteristics,
dedicated to this day emphasize the importance of the Romanian language not
only as a means of communication but also as a repository of history, culture,
and national identity”. (Source: Business Reviews News)
NOTE: Dear readers, please be advised that on this website each of the previous postings, pertaining to the recurrent annual themes, portray a different perspective of the subject/s presented (same theme/s, but a different outlook without duplication due to the cultural richness of the specific topic/s discussed).
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Few LESSONS life is teaching us
We all are fully aware that life is beautiful, but
definitively not always easy…it has its occasional difficulties, and the
challenge lies in facing them with courage, grace and dignity! Happiness or sorrow, victory or defeat, day & night, etc. are affecting each life on
Earth.
For your enjoyment, here I’m sharing the
perspective of a 90 years old lady about life in general, wisdom worth
pondering upon…peaceful reading, dear ones!
“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote few
lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
– Life isn't fair, but it's still good. | – Life is too short…enjoy it.
– When in doubt, just take the next small step, one at the time.
– When in doubt, just take the next small step, one at the time.
– Your job won't take care of you when you are
sick.
But for sure your true friends and family will be there for you.
But for sure your true friends and family will be there for you.
– Pay off your credit cards every month.
– You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
– You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
– Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying
alone.
– Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
– Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
– When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
– Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
– Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
– It's OK to let your children see you cry.
– Don't compare your life to others under any circumstance.
Truth to be said, you have no idea what their journey is all about.
– Don't compare your life to others under any circumstance.
Truth to be said, you have no idea what their journey is all about.
– If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't
be in it.
– No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
– No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
– Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. | – Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter
weighs you down in many ways.
– Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you
stronger. | – It's never too late to be happy...it’s all up
to you and no one else.
– When it comes to going after what you love in
life, don't take no for an answer. | – The most important organ is the brain.
– Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the
fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. | – Over prepare, then go with the flow.
– Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear
purple. | – Frame every so-called disaster with these words
'In five years, will this matter?'
– Always choose life. | – Forgive, but don’t forget. | – What other people think of you is none of your
business.
– Time heals almost everything. Give time time. | – However good or bad a situation is, it will change. | – Believe in miracles.
– Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it
now. | – Growing old beats the alternative of dying young. | – Your children get only one childhood.
– All that truly matters in the end is that you
loved. | – Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting
everywhere. (I love this one!)
– If we all through our problems in a pile and saw
everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. | – Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already
have not what you need.
– The best is yet to come. | – No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show
up. | – Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.”
“Always stay strong as you live your life and always remember your
blessings,
no matter what circumstances you might need to face.”
no matter what circumstances you might need to face.”
