Summer vibes of 2024

As these days I’m taking my time to enjoy every summer day more intensely than ever before, I realized that I’ve become even more observant of my surroundings, of my neighbours, of my friends, of all the people we meet along the way during our walks in nature – my conclusions are truly astonishing, but what I find really interesting is the fact that people sense the presence and the authenticity in a very pleasing manner.

Usually folks love to be at the center of the world, but I would rather prefer a peaceful corner where my entire world could be.

Generally speaking, you may think that you are not important at all in this world, but actually you are because your thoughtfulness, your compassion, your positivity, your genuine amiability leave behind fragrant echoes of kindness, which is quite marvelous!

Just think about these…if someone drinks coffee every morning from the favorite cup you gave them,

Or if someone heard a song on the radio that reminds them of you,

Or if someone is reading a book you recommended and it's stuck in their head,

Or if someone remembered a joke of yours and smiled coming home from work in the evening,

Or if someone now loves themselves a little more because you gave them a nice compliment, you really brought a certain amount of kindness into this world.
Never think that you don't influence anything, because it is impossible to erase the beautiful traces you leave behind, even with small deeds.

Dear friends, I wish you  enjoy the ongoing summer - flower by flower!

“Summer time” – by George Gershwin (classical music)

Benefits of TRAVELLING

According to many, travelling should be considered an essential human activity because it seems to be in our genes, as extensive scholastic studies are demonstrating that it is not natural for us to be sedentary.

Historically speaking, for most of the time our species existed, people lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers moving around quite often, approach which proved to be quite useful.

Personally, it feels to me that the very nature of travelling entails a fair share of wishful thinking, demanding at the same time a leap of faith and imagination. From making you happier, to reducing stress or by teaching you about the world or yourself, travelling could be considered an exquisite nourishing “food” for the soul.

Whether traveling for a vacation, business trip or some other adventure/s, whether taking a quick weekend getaway or a multi-month sabbatical around the world, travel offers a wide range of benefits, and for your convenience, here is a concise list various experts put together:

- Travelling could improve your communication skills, your creativity, and it could help expand even further your personal development

- Travelling could help you achieve a lasting peace of mind (by reducing stress & anxiety) and it could boost your self-confidence effectively

- International travelling could make you more tolerant and it could broaden your understanding of different cultures

- Travelling could help you appreciate even more the beauty of our nature and Earth

- Travelling could expand your horizons and your social network, while giving you the possibility to create new lifetime memories

- Travelling could sharpen your mind, it could shift your perspective about life in general, and (if needed) it could help you find a new purpose

- World travelling could help you appreciate even more your home, your friends, your country or your life.

Concluding, dear friends, I truly believe that travelling it is not always or necessarily about a certain place or specific destination, but rather about what we bring to it and how we interact with it. Extrapolating, we could state that travelling it is not necessarily about the destination or about the journey in itself, but rather about how you transform yourself during the experience…it is not necessarily about leaving your home, but about leaving behind old habits that are not serving you any longer.

Wherever life might take you next, I wish you happy and safe travels!

Socializing: CANADA Day 2024 – Morning Coffee Talks

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

July 1, 2024: CANADA Day

Yearly, on July 1^st, Canadians across the country and around the world display their national history, showcase their culture and acknowledge achievements…without any doubt, this is a special day, when lots of festivities are held throughout the entire realm, since 1868. 

Once again, as I’ve mentioned few times in the past, CANADA truly reflects the old concept of unity in diversity, and diversity in unity.

Congratulations to you, Canada…and once again, a very warm and happy Canada Day to one and all!

● National Anthem: “O Canada” – audio  

● Historic background info:

On July 1, 1867, the nation was officially born when the “Constitution Act” joined three provinces into one country: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Canada province, which then split into Ontario and Quebec. However, Canada was not completely independent of England until 1982. The holiday called “Dominion Day” was officially established in 1879, but it wasn't observed by many Canadians, who considered themselves to be British citizens.

“Dominion Day” started to catch on when the 50^th anniversary of the confederation rolled around, in 1917. In 1946, a bill was put forth to rename “Dominion Day”, but arguments in the House of Commons over what to call the holiday stalled the bill.

The 100^th anniversary of the nation's official creation in 1967 saw the growth of the spirit of Canadian patriotism, and “Dominion Day” celebrations really began to take off. Although quite a few Canadians already called the holiday “Canada Day” (“Fête du Canada”), the new name wasn't formally adopted until October of 1982.

● My previous greetings on the same theme: CANADA Day – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

June 24, 2024 – Universal Day of the ROMANIAN BLOUSE

June 24^th marks the annual celebration of The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse. For all Romanians around the world (and back in Romania) this is the perfect occasion to showcase their beautiful culture and their rich traditions. This day (June 24) is also known as “Midsummer Day”, or “Sânzienele” (in the Romanian folk beliefs). So, dear fellow Romanian, wherever you are today, please wear your national outfit and be proud of who you are!

Our ancestral tradition is alive, and we carry the story further on.

La mulți ani, iei și cămășii tradiționale românești! Tradiția este vie și noi ducem povestea mai departe.

”Fiecare civilizaţie occidentală sau din est şi-a păstrat şi dezvoltat propriile caracteristici ale vestimentaţiei tradiţionale purtate zilnic sau la momente festive. Tocmai acest lucru conferă distincţie şi diversitate portului de sărbătoare de pretutindeni. În ce priveşte portul românesc, acesta s-a bucurat de o deosebită apreciere şi dincolo de graniţe. Înseşi reginele Elisabeta şi Maria, amândouă de origine britanică, au ştiut să observe frumuseţea şi eleganţa costumelor populare româneşti, ele însele îmbrăcându-se în portul tradiţional românesc la recepţii de înaltă ţinută, împreună cu principesele şi doamnele de la curte.” (Steliana Băltuţă – etnograf)

● Did you know?

On December 1, 2022, (on Romania’s National Day), UNESCO has decided to inscribe the Romanian traditional blouse on their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, on the same list in 2017 “Mărțișor” was added.

Also, it is important to mention that “the Romanian Blouse has been an international symbol of the Romanian culture and a source of inspiration for some of the world’s greatest fashion.” Initiated and coordinated by the online community La Blouse Romaine, in 2013, this type of celebration is an opportunity to publicize and further broadcast an old and beautiful Romanian cultural tradition. 

The Romanian blouse, "ie" by its original Romanian name, is not a simple traditional peasant blouse, but it became a symbol of Romania, with its legends, stories and deep significance. The "ie" (pronounced "ee-eh") is a blouse, commonly worn by Romanian girls and women, and it has overcome its historic peasant confines, as it became an important source of inspiration for the fashion designers in Romania and abroad (high-ranking names, such as Tom Ford based his 2012 collection on the Romanian traditional motifs). 

The "ie" is entirely hand-made from a special fabric (called approx. in English "sheer lawn"), with exquisite embroideries on the chest, back and sleeves, with designs preserved for centuries. The signs and symbols embroidered on the Romanian blouse aren’t just random decorations, but each has its own significance, depending on the region, the seamstress, and the person who wore it.

Every "ie", along with the other items of the traditional folk costume, has its own story. Among the symbols embroidered on the blouse there is the tree or a tree-like design, which is the symbol of life, wisdom and rebirth. The fir tree is particularly drawn on the Romanian blouse, especially in the mountain rural areas, and symbolizes the immortality, a motif seldom found in Romanian mythology.

The circle or a sunflower represent the sun, day or Divinity; in Romanian tradition, the sun was at the core of life and often associated with abundance.

Other motifs related to daily activities can be found ranging from one region to another: water (either as a river or as sea waves) and fish in the fishing villages along the rivers and sea coast, wheat or corn stems in agricultural villages, wheels or coin in crafting traders’ villages, and so on.

At the same time, the colors on the blouse also vary according to the geographic region; green and gold symbolize the plains, gray, red and brown for the mountains and blue for the rivers. 

For instance, in the past, young girls from the countryside, who were not married used to wear merry colors on their blouses, combinations of red, yellow, pink & light colors, while the dark ones (brown, black, dark green) & gold were usually worn by older women, married & having a certain social statute.

● My previous greetings on the same theme: The Universal Day of the ROMANIAN BLOUSE – 2023, 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).