Night or day? Dark or light, black or white? If you close your eyes and set your mind free, do you have the same mind associations as me? Do night and day correspond to the same stereotypes? For many of us they may do, if we share the same background, live in the same geographical area, say Southern Europe, but what if you live in Northern Europe or by the Equator? What are your free associations? Me? I’d continue with dream and daydream, relaxing and working, sleeping and coffee, home and workplace, soft pillow and wooden chair, silence and chatting, stars and sunshine, freedom and duty....If you had to choose between day and night, which is your favourite time? Mine is night, it means home to me, a place where I feel safe, the meeting point of my family, a place where I can shut all worries outside the door and be sure I am myself. I simply feel alright and don’t need to do so special things, I only let go of everything.
Every year I wait for Xmas time to come, yes, I do feel like a child in a way, maybe because I have nice memories from my childhood. My family was quite small, it was just my mum, my dad and I, but my mum’s sister and her husband were always with us. They had no children and they considered me their daughter. My mum used to decorate the house, my dad made the nativity and Xmas tree. The table for Xmas Eve dinner looked gorgeous and very elegant, like a table of a five- star hotel, since my mum looked after all the details. But it was never pompous. There was a kind of ritual I still cherish, before dinner we all gathered around the Nativity, which wasn’t in the same room as the Xmas tree and we sang a few songs waiting for Father Xmas, I called it Father Xmas and not Santa Claus, to arrive. Suddenly the bell rang and my father went to open the door. It was just a matter of minutes, but they seemed hours to me.. At last he shouted - it’s Father Xmas, he’s brought a lot of gifts, do come and see! So I rushed to the sitting room and ... there it was, the Xmas tree all surrounded by big and small packets! I stood open-mouthed in astonishment... I can still remember how excited I felt...
What was inside the packet wasn’t that relevant, it was the atmosphere and the waiting that mattered! Once my mum’s brother and sister came from Sicily and for that occasion my dad had put up a huge Xmas tree that touched the ceiling. It was like an event for me, I wouldn’t have been alone waiting for the bell to ring, my little cousin was there too. You may not guess how mad he went when he saw all the gifts under the tree! We often like to recall that moment, nice memories to share.
At that time I didn’t realize the time my parents took to make all the preparations. It was simply natural...
So when Xmas is approaching, it’s something I cannot help, I get into the same state of mind. I do my best to continue this tradition of joyful and almost timeless atmosphere.. It’s like a tribute to my parents and my aunt Lucia who've dedicated their lives to me.
song: Any time at all
All I had to do was call and my father and aunt were there
Night & Day
Night or day? Dark or light, black or white? If you close your eyes and set your mind free, do you have the same mind associations as me? Do night and day correspond to the same stereotypes? For many of us they may do, if we share the same background, live in the same geographical area, say Southern Europe, but what if you live in Northern Europe or by the Equator? What are your free associations? Me? I’d continue with dream and daydream, relaxing and working, sleeping and coffee, home and workplace, soft pillow and wooden chair, silence and chatting, stars and sunshine, freedom and duty....If you had to choose between day and night, which is your favourite time? Mine is night, it means home to me, a place where I feel safe, the meeting point of my family, a place where I can shut all worries outside the door and be sure I am myself. I simply feel alright and don’t need to do so special things, I only let go of everything.
