A Friend is someone who likes you

 

There is a nice little story told of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He started playing the piano when he was three years old. One day, his father asked him what he was doing and he replied, 'Looking for little notes which like each other.' A great definition of musical harmony which also tells us about us. A friend is someone who likes you, it's as simple as that. How wonderful is that feeling when you meet a friend who likes you, that special moment of excited anticipation when you both pull up a chair and order your coffee and lean in to listen to each other's news and celebrate each other's joys and commiserate each other's disappointments and hardships. I am sure I am not alone in feeling that most of what I learned about friendship started way back in very early childhood. At first my friends were my family, mum dad and brother, then cousins neighbours and school friends. Whenever I got hurt or disappointed by a friend my mother would say 'if you want to have a friend you have got to be a friend', she was a constant source of inspiration. I longed to be like her, I thought it must be wonderful to be a grown up and never feel hurt or left out. 'Think about how they feel' she would say, and I always tried. My father had a different approach to friends, 'God protect me from my friends, because I know my enemies, ' he would boom. 'If you can count the number of friends on one hand you are very lucky'. I would be perplexed by this, I had loads of friends, a whole class full. 'Ah' he would say 'Everybody's friend is nobody's friend.' It's easy to confuse affection for approval. Sometimes we crave someone's friendship, at some stages in life we are more needy than others, more alone. Once our parents have gone the only people who will really love us unconditionally. It's a terrible moment, one cutting the rope tying you to an anchor.

Prova prova prova prova

Dont judge a book by its cover

There were nine little dolls inside

You cannot tell by looking at this Russian doll how many there are inside

La felicità dei cani, The Happiness of dogs, nothing to do with dogs really

In Italy I love the way that all the shop assistants are so happy and willing to gift- wrap any purchases .Your thoughtfully acquired pensierini , symbolic gifts, take on a whole new life when they are gift-wrapped Italian style. Almost embarrassingly so. What was just a small token can be transformed into an enticing package full of promise. They become almost too good to open. I have been doing my Easter shopping. In Italy this is not done on a large scale like Christmas shopping.Just a little plant or an egg for the children, a bar of soap or a little book, gift-wrapping can make these small gifts much more festive. It really is the thought that counts .

Yesterday while browsing in a local bookshop my friend and I remarked on how beautiful book jacket designs can be, just looking at the covers makes you want to read all the books.Some of them are real works of art. In English we say not to judge a book by it's cover, you could be in for a lot of disappointment if you do. This saying of course refers to more than just books , it is an invitation to

judgement on anyone or anything  without looking beyond the appearance.

Sayings and proverbs can say a lot about a culture and I like this one. It is relaxing and allows lots of room to like something or someone for many other reasons than physical aspect.

It is difficult to give an Italian equivalent, the nearest I can think of is L'abito non fa il monaco. This means that wearing a monk's habit doesn't make someone a monk.

This plain book jacket is actually a greatly-loved copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. A story of passion and intrigue

Easter gifts wrapped and ready. It is the thought that counts

This fancy decoration covers a quite simple traditional Italian Easter cake.