LOVE & the approaching Spring of 2023

~ Yearly Romanian literary evening featuring Valentine’s Day, “Dragobete” & “Mărțișor” ~

Since the wheel of time keeps rolling, taking us closer and closer to the next season, on Tuesday (February 13, 2023) I was happy to organize our annual celebration, which features Love and the coming spring, as well as few popular traditions that are dear and near to our hearts – Valentine’s Day, “Dragobete” & “Mărțișor”. For everybody’s convenience, this event was held online.

As I’m writing this note, I’m assuming that some people might wonder why I keep emphasizing love, unity, peace, harmonious relationships, mutual respect, ancestral tradition/s, society’s cultural facets, life’s artistic perspectives, ageless wisdom, and so on, in a global consumerist world?!

Well, besides the fact that all these concepts are in perfect alignment with the vision of our Circle, these are also the fundamental principles of existence in itself.

We all have heard, time and time again, many scholars saying that “tradition has been the foundation that gives meaning and purpose to our social lives and serves as a guide to our beliefs, values and behaviours”, and many disciplines (such as philosophy, history, religion, art, literature and law) have it at the core.
At a very basic level, tradition, culture and identity are deeply interconnected.

On the other hand, culture and tradition help us better comprehend the world around us, being a source of comfort which allow us to express our creativity.
By understanding other cultures, we learn to respect our differences and appreciate our similarities.

All these being said, on Tuesday night, we’ve got the chance to put some of these concepts in practice, joyfully giving and receiving heartfelt perspectives.
It was a really beautiful experience!

Also, as a brief refresher, here are few background details about the emphasized traditions:

• Valentine’s Day (February 14):
  Nowadays, the Valentine's Day became an annual festival celebrating the romantic love, friendship and admiration. Every year, on February 14, people honor this day by sending messages of love and regard to partners, family and friends expressing their affection. This originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine.
• “Dragobete” (February 24):
  While Valentine’s Day is mostly related to people (a well-known saint and those he helped) and their actions in the name of love,
  “DRAGOBETE” is a very old and truly beautiful Romanian festive holiday associated with the arrival of spring as well as romantic love.
  While no one really knows exactly when "Dragobete" started, it is believed to go way back to ancient Romania (aka "Dacian Kingdom").
  In early myths, "Dragobete" is the son of “Baba Dochia” (in Romanian mythology, she is an old figure identified with the return of spring). He is the Romanian version of Cupid – bringing love and life with him. It is said that his magical presence could make the trees flower, insects, and birds to multiply and can turn men and women into lovers.
  Celebrated each year on February 24th, this holiday is linked to the time of the year when birds build their nests and mate, being mostly connected with nature. As the first signs of spring begin to show, nature & man begin a new cycle of life and love.
• “Mărțișor” (March 1)
  The name “Mărțișor” (mərt͡siˈʃor) is the diminutive of “Marț”, the old folk name for March (“martie”, in modern Romanian language), & literally means "the little March". The actual “Mărțișor” is made of a small decorative object, tied to a white & red string, with two hanging tassels, which is offered customarily on the 1st day of March to girls, women & men (in some parts of the country) as it is believed that the wearer will stay strong & healthy throughout the entire year ahead. In the old times “Mărțișor” was regarded more as a protective talisman, but in modern days, & especially in the urban areas, most of its talisman properties got lost and “Mărțișor” became more of a symbol of friendship, love, appreciation & respect, as well as a symbol of the coming spring in addition to the snowdrop flowers.
  NOTE:
  In 2017, UNESCO decided to inscribe “Mărțișor“ on their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity…please follow the links below for a more detailed reading about this significant gesture…thank you!
  – ARTICLE: Romanian spring tradition included on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list
  – ARTICLE: UNESCO adds Mărțișor to its ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity’ list

Our evening together was pleasing in every way, as each of my guests openly shared lots of personal perspectives, emotions and priceless memories.

In my book of life, this gathering will add another page meant to fill my heart with genuine gratitude!

Once again dear friends, many thanks to all those who honored my call! May your spring be nice and fragrant!

Alice

“ In the end, it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years.“ (Abraham Lincoln)

This event has been delivered in Romanian Language, featuring Romanian culture.

● Previous events I organized on the same concepts: Love, Spring &“Mărțișor”– 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

● Some of my additional greetings referring to VALENTINE's Day – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 

"Mărțișor" – 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019   | "DRAGOBETE" – 2022, 2021, 2020

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). 

February 14, 2023: Happy VALENTINE’s Day

 Dear friends, may the day bring you Joy!

“Live your life with love as your guiding principle, always keeping in mind that true love is not found - it is built.“

● My previous greetings on the same theme: VALENTINE's Day – 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

January 24’23: Union of the Romanian Principalities

 An old page of Romanian history: The Little Union of the Romanian Principalities

On January 24, 2023, all Romanians throughout the world celebrate 164 years since The Little Union of the Romanian Principalities took place, marking a special yearly moment of national pride. At this moment in time, I'm wishing them all to continue to strive to live in peace and harmony!

La mulți ani tuturor românilor de pretutindeni cu ocazia Zilei Unirii Principatelor Române! 

24 ianuarie 1859 este data la care a avut loc Unirea Țării Românești cu Moldova sub conducerea lui Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

● Brief historical background info:

January 24th, also known as the Little Unification (Romanian: "Mica Unire") celebrates the political union of these 2 principalities, which is considered the foundation of modern Romania. The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, also known as "The Romanian United Principalities", was the official name of the Romania following the 1859 election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as the ruling prince (Romania: "domnitor") of both territories.

Years later, on December 1st, 1918, the Great Union happened (Romanian: "Marea Unire"), when the 3 Romanian Principalities (Wallachia, Moldavia & Transylvania) became one country, one voice, called "Romania", and December 1st became Romania's National Day.

● Highlights featuring this historic moment:

     ⚪ Few historic songs “Unity Hora” (Romanian: “Hora Unirii”) | “Cuvântul lui  Ion Roată către Divan” (în interpretarea lui Valeriu Penișoară)

     ⚪ Brief documentaries in Romanian language “Unirea Principatelor Române din anul 1859” (Arhiva TVR) | “Lecţia de istorie – Domnia și reformele lui Cuza”

     ⚪ A brief documentary in English language "The Proclamation of the Union of the Principalities”
● A short video clip I’ve put together for this occasion: January 24
● My previous greetings on the same theme: The LITTLE UNION Day – 2022, 2021
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). 

January 2023: Eminescu & Romania’s Culture Day

 Annual celebration dedicated to:

January 15, 2023 – the anniversary of Mihai Eminescu & Romania's National Culture Day

January 24, 2023 – Little Union of the Romanian Principalities

This year, on Sunday (January 15, 2023) I was able to organize a Romanian literary evening, featuring the annual Mihai Eminescu Day, Romania’s National Culture Day, as well as January 24th (which is a popular celebration in Romania, marking the Little Unions of the Romanian Principalities). For everybody’s convenience, this event was online. Being a festive gathering, the program began with the Romanian Anthem (since the focus was on the Romanian culture), followed suit by the Canadian Anthem (this being our country of adoption)….needless to say that this particular music set the perfect tone for our talks.

Next, I continued with a concise presentation about Eminescu and I’ve read a poem (of course, composed by Eminescu).

Then, all my guests shared their perspectives about Romania’s national poet - Mihai Eminescu, about culture in general, and about a page of Romanian history concerning the day of January 24th - past, present and foreseeable future.  

On the other hand, since the highlight of the evening was the Romania’s Culture Day, here are only few additional names from so many remarkable Romanians that brought fame to this realm over time, proving that Romania is an old country, with a very rich and long lasting cultural life:

– Neagoe Basarab (1459–1521) was the Prince of Wallachia (see NOTE 1 below about what Wallachia means) and wrote one of the earliest literary works of Wallachia, called "The teachings of Neagoe Basarab to his son Theodosie" (Ro: "Învăţăturile lui Neagoe Basarab către fiul său Teodosie"), where he touches various subjects such as philosophy, diplomacy, morals and ethics.

• NOTE 1 – Wallachia or Walachia
  Wallachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania, located on the North of the Lower Danube and at the South of the Southern Carpathians Mountains; traditionally, Wallachia is divided into two sections, Muntenia and Oltenia

– Miron Costin (1633–1691) was an old Romanian political figure and chronicler. His main work is called "The Chronicles of the land of Moldavia, from the rule of Aron Vodă onward" (Ro: "Letopiseţul Ţării Moldovei, de la Aron Vodă încoace"), covering events from 1594 to 1660. The Chronicles were first published in 1675. He also wrote "The Polish poem" (Ro: "Poema polonă - Istoria în versuri polone despre Ţara Moldovei şi Munteniei").

– Dimitrie Cantemir (1673–1723) was a Romanian prince, statesman, and man of letters, regarded as one of the most significant early Enlightenment figures, and twice he served as voivode of Moldavia (a region in Romania). Cantemir was also a prolific writer, variously philosopher, historian, composer, musicologist, linguist, ethnographer and geographer.

– Anton Pann (1790–1854) was a Wallachian composer, musicologist, and Romanian-language poet, also noted for his activities as a printer, translator, and schoolteacher. Pann was an influential folklorist and a collector of proverbs, as well as a lexicographer and textbook author.

– Ion Heliade-Rădulescu (1802–1872, also known as Eliade Rădulescu) was a Romanian academic, a Romantic (see NOTE 2 below about what Romanticism means) and a Classicist (see NOTE 3 below about what Classicism means). He was a poet, essayist, memoirist, short story writer, newspaper editor and politician. A prolific translator of foreign literature into Romanian, he was also the author of books on linguistics and history. For much of his life, Heliade Rădulescu was a teacher at Saint Sava College in Bucharest, which he helped reopen. He was a founding member and first president of the Romanian Academy.

• NOTE 2 –  Romanticism: "it is an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century; in most areas it was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism, idealization of nature as well as the glorification of the past with strong preference for the medieval rather than the classical."
• NOTE 3 – Classicism: "in its purest form, classicism is an aesthetic attitude dependent on principles based in the culture, art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, with the emphasis on form, simplicity, proportion, clarity of structure, perfection, restrained emotion, as well as explicit appeal to the intellect."

– Nicolae Filimon (1819–1865) was a Romanian novelist and short-story writer, remembered as the author of the first Realist novel in Romanian literature, called "The Old and the New Parvenus" (Ro: "Ciocoii vechi şi noi"), which was centered on the self-seeking figure Dinu Păturică (who drew comparisons with Stendhal's Julien Sorel). He was also a noted travel writer, folklorist, musician, and the first musical critic in his country.

– Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea (1858–1918) was a Romanian writer and poet, considered one of the greatest figures in the National awakening of Romania.

– Alexandru Macedonski (1854–1920) was a Romanian poet, novelist, dramatist and literary critic, known especially for having promoted French Symbolism in his native country, and for leading the Romanian Symbolist movement during its early decades. A forerunner of local modernist literature, he is the first local author to have used free verse, and claimed by some to have been the first in modern European literature. Within the framework of Romanian literature, Macedonski is seen by critics as second only to national poet Mihai Eminescu; as leader of a cosmopolitan and aestheticist trend formed around his "Literatorul" journal, he was diametrically opposed to the inward-looking traditionalism of Eminescu and his school.

– Eugen Lovinescu (1881–1943) was a Romanian modernist literary historian, literary critic, academic, and novelist, and was elected to the Romanian Academy posthumously, in 1991. He was the father of Monica Lovinescu.

– Gellu Naum (1915–2001) was a Romanian poet, dramatist, novelist, children's writer, & translator. He is known as the founder of the Romanian Surrealist group.

– Octavian Paler (1927–2007) was a Romanian writer, journalist, politician and civil society activist in post-1989 Romania.

– Andrei Pleșu (born 1948) is a Romanian philosopher, essayist, journalist, literary and art critic. He has been intermittently involved in politics, having been appointed Minister of Culture (1989–91), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1997–99) and presidential counsellor for external affairs (2004–05).

– Dumitru Constantin Dulcan (born 1938) is a Romanian neurologist and psychiatrist, author of philosophical and metaphysical literature. He is best known for his work "The Intelligence of Matter", published in Romania in a censored form during the communist period, but republished entirely and with additions after the Revolution of 1989. The author is a military doctor specialized in neurology, university professor at the "Titu Maiorescu" University of Bucharest.

– Leon Dănăilă (born 1933) is a Romanian neurosurgeon, a prolific author and a senator. He is a graduate of the Faculty of General Medicine of Iaşi, as well as the Faculty of Psychology and Philosophy of Bucharest, and was elected a titular member of the Romanian Academy in 2004. At the 2016 parliamentary election, he won a seat in the Romanian Senate for Bucharest.

We all had such a lovely time together, filling our hearts with admiration, gratitude, nostalgia and national pride. Above and beyond anything else, Eminescu was Romanian like all of us and this is something we all keep very close to our hearts. 

Wrapping up my briefing here, once again, much appreciation to each of my guests who were able and willing to join the call in order to honor the Culture's Day of our country of origin! Until next time, my best to each of you!

Alice

“The purpose of your life is to find yourself.” (Mihai Eminescu)

This event has been delivered in Romanian Language, featuring Romanian culture.

A grateful acknowledgement 

Message received from the "Observatorul" Newspaper from Toronto together with the enclosed meritorious diploma:

Dear friends, here I’m glad to announce that on January 15, 2023, I was pleased to receive a meritorious diploma from the “Observatorul” Newspaper from Toronto for some of my professional achievements, for my dedication in several areas of expertise, as well as my continuous community work.

RO:  Bun găsit doamna Alice Vasile,

2023 în sănătate şi cu speranţe împlinite vă dorim!

Grupul de la Observatorul (colaboratori şi prieteni ai revistei Observatorul, cenaclul Nicăpetre, editura de pe lângă Observatorul) acordă diplome meritorii  anuale, de ziua lui Mihai Eminescu şi a culturii naţionale, unor persoane cu activitate deosebită din comunitatea românească.

Ne face plăcere să vă comunicăm ca aţi fost nominalizată şi apreciată pentru dedicaţie, pasiune şi profesionalism 

Cu prietenie şi consideraţie,

În numele grupului de la Observatorul

Dumitru Puiu Popescu

● Two short video clips I've created in the past for similar occasions: Eminescu Day & January 24
● Previous events I organized on the same theme: Eminescu & ROMANIA’s CULTURE Day – 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

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). 

Thoughts at the beginning of the year (January 2023)

Every year begins with new hopes, desires, expectations and great resolutions, all of these giving us an edge of special fervour going forward…a fresh start, filled with much anticipation and much excitement.
But this is also the perfect time of the year to reflect upon the last 12 months, keeping in mind that the lessons of the past are the best teaches for the future. Also, re-assessing our goals will give us a better vision for the future, and with a sharper focus we could commit to healthier habits that will support each of us in living better lives.

Few brief things that 2022 clearly re-emphasized and

what to take with us into the New Year

- In order to find your strengths to face life’s hurdles you need to relax

- It helps to have patience; you will never be able to reach a wise decision if you are always in rush

- Loyalty and devotion are rare, but strong enough to regenerate any soul

- Don’t waste your time with people who don’t like or appreciate you

- You can't help anyone if you're not well and healthy

- If you are tired take a break, but don’t quit

- Every day take a bit of time for yourself to do something that brings you joy

- Always stay in touch with positive people that are dear to you

- Spend even more quality time with your family.

Well, dear ones, these are my brief thoughts on this subject, and as life goes on, I’m taking also moment to wish you again all the best for the New Year, trusting that you will acquire the necessary perseverance to achieve inner peace and the wisdom to appreciate everything that surrounds you!

“Each person’s path in live is unique and often indecipherable to anyone else.”