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I just finished reading the book The Paris time capsule by Ella Carey, a breathtaking story of luxury, sophistication, love, and sacrifices that people living long ago had experienced. I recommend the book as a captivating reading, especially during a rainy day, like this past Saturday. It is as if you had stepped back in time and saw the world through the eyes of fascinating women.

Marthe’s flat was in the ninth arrondissement, on the Right Bank, in a colorful Paris, the Paris of writers, artists, and filmmakers. It was the time of the intellect and debauchery. Marthe de Florian lived during the Belle Époque—French for “beautiful era” between the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the start of World War I. This was a time of optimism, peace, technology, and, most importantly, the blossoming of literature, music, and the arts. Giovanni Boldini was the most renowned portraitist in his day. He was a lover of the woman he painted, the woman in pink: Marthe de Florian.

Though Marthe was what we would consider a courtesan, the more accurate title was demimondaine, which translates to “half-world.” She was no ordinary hooker, but an unusual breed. Demimondaines were known for their extravagant lifestyles, provided by rich and illustrious lovers; their clothing was envied by women in Paris. Even the richest high society women could not compete with them, although they had tried. Demimondaines were notorious for drinking, drug use, gambling, and excessive spending. Despite their status, they remained on the outside of the society before the WWI, perhaps the “half-world” label telling of their position.

Marthe de Florian’s apartment was unopened for seventy years, preserving astounding furnishings and a waft of perfume from the Paris of old times.

 

I can learn to look for laughter and joy in the many ordinary places where I go. If I look for the light of God that is hitting my life, I will find sparkles I didn’t know were there.  I could sum up what I learned about life in three words: “It goes on!” The human spirit can survive pain, loss, death and life goes on…and on and on. My encouraging word to all those I meet is to develop a sense of humor to carry them through the day. Without one, we are doomed to despair. If we have one, we can survive and actually enjoy the trip. It will take us from where we are to where we are meant to be.

Instead of dwelling on the past, I decided to make myself look for joyful things. And one day, I will look back and remember the pain, but I won’t be in that situation that stole the joy from me because it came to pass. Laughter is like the sun that drives the winter from the human face. If I laugh in spite of the circumstances that surround me, I will enrich others, myself and I will last longer.

Love,

Carmen Monica

There comes a time in everyone’s life when difficulties gang up, and when this happens—when life gets hard—you must look for a creative way to handle things.

The first try not to struggle and fret, trying not to strain or complain, but do everything you can about things and put everything in God’s hands, trusting him to fix it. Then, you must pray for guidance and believe in the advice, depend on it, because it won’t fail you. Practice a calm attitude. All disturbing things will remain troubling as long as you are disturbed. When you become peaceful, situations will iron themselves out. No one can think creatively when the mind is upset. You must saturate your consciousness with faith, a creative faith that things will turn out right.

You must remind yourself one great truth: hard experiences will pass away because they can be changed. There is always a light in the darkness, and you must look for that light which is the love of God. Trust in your own strength and wisdom to handle any problem successfully and never forget that you are loved. Everyone experiences troubles, but they all fade with the passage of time.

Life is easier than you think and all you have to do is accept the impossible, bear the intolerable, do without the indispensable and be able to smile at everything. Growing is a lifetime job, and you grow most when you’re down in the valley. You can go through painful trials, or you can grow through them. It is okay to admit you’re suffering and hurting, but then you go on to make the most of this particular moment. Give it all you can and see what you can learn from this pain. All you have to remember is that you are going to get over this, and when you climb over it and then look back, you will realize that you’ve reached new gains and new values. You have grown as a person.

Love,

Carmen Monica

Life it is about finding balance. If you add a little of this and a little of that, you can put together a great recipe for happiness. Then, you throw a little bit of abandon to the mix, and you will reach success. The reason of going to the beach is to find and bring balance to our lives, balance from stress, work and responsibilities. When you feel overwhelmed, a beach vacation becomes a great escape composed of magic, fun, beauty, sun, sand and ocean. 

If we are in control of our thoughts, we are in control of our lives. Once, a friend of mine said that one tree can start a forest, as much as one smile can begin a friendship. She also said that o…

Source: The Power of One

If we are in control of our thoughts, we are in control of our lives. Once, a friend of mine said that one tree can start a forest, as much as one smile can begin a friendship. She also said that one stroke is enough to lift a soul. One tap on a shoulder can change the direction of that day.

Sometimes, we need to hear the right word so that we frame a goal in our minds, giving purpose to our existence. We have to remember that one candle can wipe out darkness, as much as one laugh can conquer gloom, and one hope can raise our spirits.

Life goes on regardless of my choice. We can choose to move on and take a chance on the unknown, or we can decide to stay behind, locked in the past and thinking of what it could have been.

One choice can change our lives.

Traducere

Daca suntem in controlul gandurilor noastre, suntem in controlul vietilor noastre. Odata, o prietena a spus ca un copac poate sa inceapa o padure, la fel de mult cum un zambet poate sa inceapa o prietenie. A mai spus ca o mangaiere este suficienta sa-ti inalte sufletul. O bataie pe umar poate sa schimbe directia acelei zile.

Uneori, avem nevoie sa auzim cuvantul potrivit ca sa formam un gol in mintile noastre, sa dam un scop existentei noastre. Trebuie sa ne amintim ca o singura lumanare poate alunga intunericul, la fel de mult cum un raset poate cuceri tristetea si cum o speranta poate sa ne ridice spiritele.

Viata continua in ciuda alegerii pe care am facut-o. Putem sa alegem sa mergem mai departe si sa ne asumam riscul in necunoscut, sau putem decide sa ramanem incuiati in trecut, gandindu-ne la ceea ce ar fi putut sa fie.

 

We spend a lot of energy, time and emotions to resist change because we assume growth must be painful. Sometimes personal growth is uncomfortable, especially learning to set boundaries in relationships. Only when we commit to our authentic self, those surrounding us start to notice that changes are taking place. People grow gradually, just like the plants in a garden. And the day comes when remaining tight in a bud is more painful than blossoming. It is the moment when we decide to follow our call, our deepest desire, when we choose to spread our wings and simply fly.

George Bernard Shaw said that the people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for circumstances they want.”

We are in charge of our destiny. We must realize that life is too short for compromises and for accepting anything less than the best in everything.

Traducere

O multime de energie, timp si emotii este petrecut rezistand unei cresteri pe care o consideram dureroasa. Uneori, dezvoltarea personala nu este comfortabila, in special impunerea unor limite in relatii. Numai atunci cand ne dedicam propriului nostru ‘eu’, cei din jur vor incepe sa observe schimbarile care iau loc. Oamenii cresc treptat,intocmai ca si plantele din gradina. Si vine o zi cand realizezi ca a ramane constrans intr-un boboc este mult mai dureros dacat a inflori. Este acel moment cand decizi sa-ti urmezi propria chemare, cea mai ardenta dorinta a ta, cand decizi sa iti intinzi aripile si sa zbori.

George Bernard Shaw a spus ca oamenii care reusesc in aceasta lume sunt aceeia care se ridica si cauta circumstantele pe care le vreau.

Suntem in controlul propriului nostru destin. Trebuie sa realizam ca viata este prea scurta pentru compromisuri si pentru acceptarea a ceea ce este mai putin decat cel mai bun.

Love,

Carmen Monica

 

 

 

Shirley Conran said that “If you don’t dare, you are doomed to dullness.”

I love colors—the stronger they are, the more energy I receive from them. My favorite one is red, like the blood running through my veins, filled with life and warmth. Red takes my breath away, causes a chain reaction in my body. Every cell starts working overtime when I wrap myself in red. I follow my instincts most of the time, and the results are stunning, which is often the case when I seek and find authenticity.

Being original is what makes us special. Red transforms my entire attitude toward the people and the events surrounding my existence.

My home is not painted in red since I believe that I will drive my family to extreme (but I have a sofa with red pillows and a red blanket in my office and curtains with red flowers). My walls are painted in a peach color so that I always feel that I am inside of a beautiful garden instead of a home. Although not very enthusiast, in the beginning, my husband was carried away by my own fervor, and now the entire family loves our peach living room.

The colors I wear aren’t the same colors I love, or I live with. I like to wear white and blue, pink and black, strong, creative, and dramatic colors, but I prefer living with soothing pastels for comfort and joy. There are multiple ways to express my authentic self just as a diamond has multiple facets, and I use colors to show my moods.

I look around and think of the colors I love. Am I surrounded by them? Am I wearing them? I always search for ways to come alive with colors, but too many of us are afraid of experimenting with color. The trick is to allow you to be carried away by colorful impulses.

The English critic John Ruskin said that “The purest and thoughtful minds are those who love the color the most.”

We should let our love for colors express the many hues and shades of our vibrant, authentic self.

Translation in Romanian

Shirley Conran a spus ca “Daca nu indraznesti, esti condamnat la stagnare.”

Iubesc culorile—cu cat sunt mai puternice, cu atat primesc mai multa energie de la ele. Culoarea mea preferata este rosul, ca sangele care-mi curge prin vene, plin the viata si caldura. Rosul imi taie respiratia, produce o reactie in sir in corpul meu. Fiecare celula incepe sa lucreze ore suplimentare cand ma imbrac in rosu. In cea mai mare parte a timpului imi urmez instinctele, iar rezultatele sunt uimitoare, mai ales atunci cand caut si gasesc autenticitatea.

Suntem speciali atunci cand suntem originali. Rosul imi transforma intreaga atitudine fata de oamenii si fata de evenimentele din jur.

Casa mea nu este vopsita in rosu deoarece cred ca mi-ar duce familia la extreme (dar am o canapea cu perne rosii si o patura rosie in biroul meu, iar perdele au flori rosii).  Peretii sunt vopsiti in culoarea piersicii, asa incat ma simt intotdeauna ca intr-o gradina, si nu ca intr-o casa. Desi nu a fost prea entuziast la inceput, sotul meu s-a lasat purtat de entuziasmul meu, si astazi intreaga familie iubeste camera de zi de culoarea piersicii.

Culorile pe care le port nu sunt intotdeauna cele pe care le iubesc sau cele care ma inconjoara. Imi place sa port alb si albastru, roz si negru, culori puternice, creative si dramatice, dar prefer sa traiesc inconjurata de pasteluri linistitoare pentru comfortul si bucuria mea.Sunt multe feluri in care iti poti exprima autenticitatea, la fel cum un diamante are multe fete, si  folosesc culorile ca sa imi arat starile sufletesti.

Privesc in jur, gandindu-ma la culorile care imi plac. Sunt inconjurata de ele? Le port? Intotdeauna caut metode de a trai prin culori, dar prea multi dintre noi sunt speriati sa experimenteze prin culoare. Siretlicul este sa te lasi purtat de impulsuri colorate.

Criticul englez John Ruskin a spus ca “Cele mai pure si cugetatoare minti sunt cele care iubesc cel mai mult culorile.”

Ar trebui sa lasam dragostea noastra pentru culori sa exprime multitudinea de nuante si umbre ale autenticitatii noastre.

Love,

Carmen Monica

Today is my best friend’s birthday. We haven’t spoken in years, but she is still my best friend. We grew up together in a small city in Romania, shared ideas, books, talked about our boyfriends and mostly, we loved each other. My friend’s birthday is just one week ahead of mine, and through the years, she had made sure to remind me that she was older than I was by six full days, and thus she was wiser. My friend and I are separated by miles of land and water, but in our hearts, we have never separated. We might have aged for just a little— she probably aged more than I because of those six days. Perhaps, there is some silver touching her hair right now—I cover mine with a fresh dye as soon as I see any daring ones. Our kids grew— mine is a teenager, hers is still a child—and many of our goals are still in full bloom. She loves history, and books, and travel just as much as I do. We used to spend countless hours in the library among old pages or walking the path in the park. I especially loved the park in the fall when the leaves covered the ground with gold. I remember us debating for hours about everything, but mostly I enjoyed the times when we walked quietly next to each other and explored the few stores our city used to have. There are much more stores now and a few more parks than back then.

Today is your birthday, another one when I am not able to hug you, or share a glass of champagne and a slice of chocolate cake with you. Although my body is on one continent, my heart and my thoughts are with you, celebrating your special day now as I did growing up (there was no champagne back then, but some type of soda with flavor). I hope life has treated you kindly, protected you from all the harm, and mostly, I hope it will keep you safe until, once again, we’ll be together, celebrating our golden days.

Happy birthday, Gabriela!

Translation in Romanian

Asta este ziua de nastere a celei mai bune prietene. Desi nu am vorbit de mult, a ramas cea mai buna prietena a mea. Am crescut intr-un oras micut din Romania, am impartit idei si carti, am vorbit despre prietenii nostrii si, mai ales, ne-am iubit una pe alta. Ziua de nastere a prietenei mele este cu o saptamana inaintea zilei mele de nastere, si, de-a lungul anilor, mi-a  amintit ca este mai mare decat mine cu sase zile, si deci mai inteleapta decat mine. Astazi, suntem separate de mile de pamant si apa, dar in inimile noastre nu s-a schimbat nimic. Am mai imbatranit putin-ea mai mult decat mine din cauza celor sase zile. Probabil, ea are ceva argit in par- eu acoper firele de par care au indrazneala sa o faca cu o noua vopsea. Copiii nostrii au crecut—al meu e un adolescent, al ei este inca o copila,—si inca mai lucram la indeplinirea multora din aspiratiile noastre. Ei ii place istoria, cartile si calatoriile, la fel ca si mie. Obisnuiam sa petrecem nenumarate ore in biblioteca printre pagi vechi din carti sau plimbandu-ne in parc. Toamna  am iubit parcul cel mai mult, atunci cand frunzele acopereau pamantul cu aur. Imi amintesc de noi cum vorbeam ore in sir despre orice, dar mai ales, imi amintesc acele timpuri cand mergem tacute, una langa alta, si exploram putinele magazine din oras. Astazi sunt mult mai multe magazine si parcuri decat atunci.

Astazi este ziua ta, inca o zi cand nu pot sa te imbratisez, sa beau un pahar de sampanie cu tine sau sa mananc o felie de tort cu ciocolata. Desi corpul imi este pe un alt continent, inima mea si gandurile mele sunt cu tine, celebrand acesta zi speciala asa cum am facut cand eram impreuna(nu aveam sampanie aunci, ci un fel the suc cu  aroma). Sper ca viata te-a tratat cu blandete, te-a protejat de orice rau,si, mai ales, sper sa te tina in siguranta pana cand vom fi impreuna, sarbatorind anii nostrii de aur.

La multi ani, Gabriela!

Love,

Carmen Monica

 

Florence Scovel Shinn said that “Intuition is a spiritual faculty, and does not explain, but simply points the way.”

I call intuition the sixth sense, that capacity to know something without evidence that proves it to be so. Intuition is like a radio, transmitting information that people need. Intuition is a sense that helps us drive safely out of a maze called life. We should stop for a minute and think of the wild animals that rely only on their intuition to stay alive.

I rely on mine to thrive because I know that only if I follow my deepest instinct, I can live an abundant life. This is the reason why I don’t allow my fear of consequences to prevent me from following my deep instinct. If I do, then I am condemned to live a safe but thin life.

Intuition communicates in inventive ways I call educated gut, which slaps me to pay attention by triggering a physical reaction in my body. Intuition is a revelation, an inner knowledge that helps me arrive at the right place at the right time. It takes a leap of faith to trust intuition, but if used every day, this sixth sense will flourish and enhance my life just the same way the other five sense do.

Translation in Romanian

Intuitia

Florence Scovel Shinn a spus:

“Intuitia este o facultate spirituala care nu explica, ci iti arata drumul.”

Intuitia este al saselea sens, acea calitate de a sti ceva fara sa ai evidenta care sa ateste ceea ce stii. Intuitia este ca un radio care transmite informatii atunci cand oamenii au nevoie de ele. Este un simt care ne ajuta sa iesim din labirintul pe care il numim viata. Ar trebui sa ne oprim un minut si sa ne gandim la animalele salbatice care se bizuie numai pe intuitie ca sa ramana in viata.

La fel si eu ma bazez pe intuitie ca sa-mi mearga bine deoarece sunt convinsa ca numai asa pot sa traiesc o viata imbelsugata. Acesta este motivul pentru care nu permit fricii de consecinte sa ma impiedice sa urmez ceea ce imi spune instinctul. Daca urmez fricii, atunci sunt condamnata sa traiesc o viata in siguranta dar lipsita de substanta.

Intuitia comunica prin instinct, producand o reactie fizica in organism si facandu-ma sa fiu atenta. Intuitia inseamna revelatie, o cunostinta interioara care ma ajuta sa ajung la locul potrivit in timpul potrivit. Este nevoie de un act de credinta ca sa te increzi in intuitie, dar folosit in fiecare zi,  acest al  saselea sens iti va inflori si imbogati viata la fel ca si celelalte cinci sensuri.

Love,

Carmen Monica