Small Things Can Be Bigger Things

The Story Behind a Painting

It isn’t rare that people visit art galleries. But it is absolutely amazing the number of people who stop to appreciate artwork.

Myself, as an example, don’t really imagine how, why, where or who the painter drew. I just look quickly around the pictures in the room and search for the ones which catch my attention. But I have never stopped to think what the person in the picture was doing, and what it meant to the painter.

Actually, it would be exhausting and boring if we looked at painting by painting, one by one, and tried to imagine a story for each of them. People often think they need to go through all exhibitions in the gallery, but we’re not supposed to do so. That’s why these galleries are divided into levels and rooms, according to the year and technique used in the artwork.

The fact is, that we should start trying to find out what’s behind the painting, what the painter is trying to show us, not just walk randomly through the gallery, just because you paid a lot to get in. Just make your ticket worth it.

Rising Marigolds

Everybody has a story. And her story's scenery is a Yorkshire's house. In her garden you can count thousands of flower types, such as tulips, roses, edelweisses and daisies. And marigolds. Marigolds which shone during summer, had illnesses in autumn, died in winter. But they always blossomed again in spring.

 And so they kept living, year after year, until last winter. Last winter these flowers died, but didn't blossom in springtime. They didn't. Neither did she.

Nobody knew anything about her, about her life. And when she passed away, nobody looked after the garden. Nobody.

Today  the house is there, intact, just the way it looked  when she was alive. But there aren't any flowers anymore, just a vast meadow. And, in the middle of this meadow, there is a small, little, lonely and yellow flower. The last of the last flowers.

 It's a young marigold, trying to live, not to die, on this cold, white winter day.

Landmarks and Landscapes

“Can you hear me? I’m talking to you. Across the water, across the deep blue ocean, under  the open sky…”- Jason Mraz

Landmarks.

Empire State, Central Park.

The British Parliament, Thames River.

Sydney Opera House.

Christ the Redeemer.

Landscapes.

The ocean, the beach.

The river, the trees.

You can see them with your eyes opened

But those who get it with theirs closed

Can see beyond.

Beyond the earth, beyond the air.

They can see through walls, by memory, with their hearts.

They can be artistic

Or autistic.

But their hands reproduce much more than you can see.

They draw what you feel.

Beyond.

Beyond landmarks and landscapes.

Between Blackeberries an' Apples

Boy: “Hey Nono, look at the Xbox father gave me!”

Grandpa: “Don’t you have enough money to buy a dozen eggs? They’re truly cheap!”

Boy: “No, Nono! It’s an Xbox, not an ‘Eggs box’! Do you want to play with me?”

Grandpa: "Of course! Let's get some spoons and race who will arrive at the backyard first without letting the spoon with the egg fall from our mouths!”

Boy: “Uh, Grandpa, I’ve already said it’s an Xbox, not an eggs box. We play it with a sensor and with the TV.”

Grandpa: “Well, in my time TVs didn’t use to carry a spoon, but if yours can do it, it’s ok, it can take part of the race too.”

Boy: “Noooo, Nono, forget it, I’ll show you something in my MacBook from Apple.”

Grandpa: “How did an apple do a book about McDonald’s?”

Boy: “It’s a laptop from Apple, you know, Steve Jobs, Macintosh system?”

Grandpa: “Oh boy, you really don’t know A THING about apples! Let’s go to the market, I’ll show you what it is!”

Boy: “Nono, I know what an apple is. I’m talking about the BRAND Apple, whose creator was Steve Jobs!”

Grandpa: “Oh my god, what are children learning in school today? They don’t even know what an apple is! Have you ever heard the quote ‘an apple a day, keeps the doctor away?’”

Boy: “Yes, sir, mom always tells me that. That type of apple grows in trees, but my laptop comes from an Apple factory.”

Grandpa: “Son, I can certainly tell you people still produce apples in trees not in factories!”

Boy:”Uh! Ok, whatever, I’ll get my Blackberry.”

Grandpa: “Do you have only one? As I remember, we buy thousands of them in the market.”

Boy: “It’s my cell phone, Grandpa!”

Grandpa: “Do you call your mobile Blackberry? What a strange name for such a thing!”

Boy: “No, it’s the cell phone’s brand. Like, the mobile comes from a Blackberry factory.”

Grandpa: “Oh my, you and this story again! Fruits DO NOT come from factories!”

Boy: “Uh, just forget it Nono, I’ll talk to Sarah about our date.”

Grandpa: “What’s wrong with it? Did you have to divide it with her? Such a small thing? I’ll go and talk to your father, you really need more pocket money! You can’t even buy some eggs and some dates!”

Boy: “There’s nothing wrong with my pocket money Nono, Sarah and I, we'll go to the cinema, have a date."

Grandpa: “Wait, you’ll go to the cinema and then to the market, to buy a date? Can you please get me some bananas too? I’ll ask your mother to bake a pie!”

Boy: “Whatever, don’t worry, I’ll buy some bananas. Bye Nono!”

Grandpa: “Bye! And don’t forget your date! We’re in season now!”

Empty Chairs and Empty Tables

Summer.

Crowded airports, crowded swimming pools,

crowded rollercoasters’ lines.

But empty schools.

Midnight.

Crowded night clubs, crowded bars,

Times Square crowded.

But empty parks.

War.

Crowded battle fields, crowded hospitals,

crowded refugee camps.

But empty streets.

Empty tables at that empty restaurant,

where they used to meet.

Empty chairs at that empty table,

where they used to sit.

Empty chairs because they aren’t there.

And they will never be again.

Alone in this world, now I am, no more friends.

They’re all dead.

Tearjerkers

A tearjerker is a film that makes us cry, gives us goose bumps and lets us cry our hearts out. We can burst into tears or get misty-eyed, but everybody likes a tearjerker: teenagers, old people, adults, girls… and even boys!

Here’s a list of movies that can (and possibly will) make you cry:

The Little Princess

A girl who lives in India returns to England, her homeland, with her dad. He's in the army and has to fight in the war. The girl goes to the school where her mother studied and her father suffers an accident while fighting. He doesn't remember anything about his little corageous girl, who shows every girl is a princess.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

A boy who is really close to his dad loses him in the 9/11 attacks. To find something that will bring him closer to his dad again, he searches, in the huge New York City, for someone called Black. Will he find this mysterious person and discover the secret of an old key?

The Blind Side

Michael is an African- American boy who is adopted by the Tuohy Family. He starts going to a "white people" school, but he gets bad grades. Mrs. Tuohy hires a private teacher, to help Michael. Then, he discovers that he plays soccer very well. Now, he can get a scholarship to Ole Mis. Unfortunately, he has to get better grades to get it.

Friends

“But friendship is precious; not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.” – Thomas Jefferson

Some people say they have lots of friends. But we can count real friends on our fingers, only two or three.

The sporty guy who is always surrounded by people but he can’t trust anyone. The boy who makes fun of others that are alone during break time. The “perfect girl” who is followed by the other ones and that say she has many friends probably wants everyone to like her. That’s not friendship. It is people just playing their pre-determined roles.

The boy that seems to be shy quietly sits near another one and asks his opinion about the sports techniques of last evening’s football match. The intelligent girl that seems to study the whole time passes most of her afternoon talking to her best friend. They have a true friendship.

Being a friend doesn’t mean to take thousands of photos of you both or to have matching necklaces. Friends fight, cry, laugh, and make fun of each other. They get in trouble together. They are ALWAYS TOGETHER.

Never forget that “friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” - C. S. Lewis.

The Hand Poem

A problem is just a solution waiting to be discovered

“Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution” – Norman Vincent Peale

When you have a problem, once you know its solution, it is easy to solve it.

An example of this is Maths. Once you know the formula you have to use, all your doubts can be solved. You just have to add here, divide there, and you’re done.

And when you don’t know how to calculate it, you just have to put some information and other knowledge together to answer the “X” of the question.

But sometimes your problems don’t have a formula. Actually, they aren’t even Maths problems. I mean, there are social problems too, such as going to a new school.

It is hard to sit next to people you don’t know, to spend break time alone. And it is even harder to make friends. But always remember that people have faced and will face the same problem as you. And never forget that there are others facing it.

Don’t give up – “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” (Albert Einstein). Free your mind and start to think in a different way. You just have to discover how to solve it – a  problem is just a solution waiting to be discovered.

Lessons to a daughter

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

Have you ever seen the video “If I should have a daughter”, by Sarah Kay? Well, here, I’ll show you, what lessons a mom should give her daughter (in Sarah Kay’s opinion).

First of all, her daughter should call her “Point B”. Why? Because like that she’ll always find her way back to her mother.  Then, she’ll say to her daughter, that “Life will hit you in the face and wait for you to get up again to kick you in the stomach”. In summary, “life is hard”.

 

This mother would also make sure she’ll paint the solar system on the back of her daughter’s hand. Then, this girl will have to learn about the whole universe to say “Oh, I know that like the back of my hand”. And, when this daughter realises Superwoman isn’t coming, her mother will make sure she won’t need to handle everything by herself, because she’ll always be on her side.

And when this girl puts her nose up, her mother will say “Don’t point your nose up at me, I’ve tried this trick lots of times. You’ll just find smoke, the smoke from the burnt house and then, the boy who lost everything in the fire and try to help him. Or, you’ll find the boy who set fire to the house and try to change him”. But this mother knows that this girl won’t be successful. That’s why this mother will have an extra chocolate bar and rain boots, because there’s no heart break that chocolate can’t fix (I mean, the MOST PART of them chocolate can fix). And for those unfixable with sweets, there are the rain boots, because when rain starts, they won’t let you get wet. And then, this mother will say “There will be days like this”, because smoke isn’t something you see just once in your life.

And, when this daughter does something wrong, her mom will say “Always apologize if you’re wrong, but NEVER for your curiosity’”. And, thinking about that, the girl will reflect if the wrong thing she did was out of curiosity or not, and then, she’ll do the right thing.

Afterwards, her mother will say: “This world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to taste it”, because life is made out of mistakes and attempts, which sometimes are right.

Put your records and headphones on

 “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent” – Victor Hugo

Since prehistoric ages, people listen to music. Babies, children, adults, lawyers, teachers, doctors, British, American, Italian and Chinese listen to music. Music is probably the only thing that doesn’t make crazy, that can makes us feel calm, happy, excited or faithful.

Here I’ll write about teenagers and music. Despite all the “types” of different teenage groups and ages, music is certainly something which brings them together into one large group. The best part of it is finding out that your favorite song is also someone’s favorite song. Oh, and wondering how can Taylor Swift describe your entire life in lyrics, or realizing teenagers also like The Beatles, sometimes more than teens did in the 60’s

Examples of the importance of music are films: without soundtrack, they become monotonous, boring, or just impossible to understand.

Looking back to the past, we can see music had been through lots of changes, but has always entertained people. Through music – hearing, playing, singing, dancing writing or discussing it – you meet other people, get to know them and become friends. Music is almost something magical, which gives life another meaning.

That’s why the best advice someone can give you is to put your records and headphones on – even if it is a cloudy, miserable day-, because life is a journey through music.

I had never felt so nervous before in my life

“Passengers and crew, the airplane is ready to take off”, announces the pilot. Something moves inside of me, as soon as I hear the message. Am I excited? No. Happy? Impossible! Maybe nervous and afraid, probably so anxious and fearful I can’t do anything.

The safety belt sign turns on. My level of adrenaline may be as high as the airplane will be in some minutes. The plane approaches the runway. I start counting slowly: 1, 2, 3… We’re going faster and faster and faster, my heart beats faster too.

Suddenly, I feel weightless, ungrounded: the airplane is flying! I take a long breath.

You may be asking right now, why am I so nervous. The answer: the last time I was in an airplane, the pilot had a little accident and some difficulties with a tropical thunderstorm. Since this episode, every time I have to stay more than two hours inside a vehicle or something, my face goes white and I freeze.

Then, I say to you, my dear reader, that you’re wrong. The time you feel more nervous is not the time you live the danger. That’s why the last time I was in a plane I wasn’t nervous, but afraid. And I have never felt so nervous before in my life than right now, while we’re landing.

It doesn’t matter if you count until 1 000 000 000, or close your eyes and think you’re in another place, start to sing, watch a film, start to pray or sleep.

The moment you feel more nervous is the time after the danger, when you go through the same situation, and realize it can happen again.

Heroes and Villains of Inkheart

We often think that heroes are people that always do the right thing and help the others. But we’re wrong.

The heroes in the book “Inkheart”, by Cornelia Funke, aren’t super heroes, like Batman or Superman. We also can’t say they are “normal”: They don’t spend the whole story doing good deeds and helping people. Nor even the villains from this book can be “normal”.

*     The heroes:

The heroes in this book aren’t really easy to find. They are the characters Meggie, Mo, Elinor and Farid. We can say Meggie’s a heroine because of her courage and determination when she was trying to escape from Capricorn’s hands. Mo is also a hero because of his intelligence and affection with Meggie, Teresa (his wife) and Elinor. Meggie’s Grandaunt, Elinor, becomes a heroine when she looks for Meggie and Fenoglio and we can also say Farid’s a hero because of his enormous courage.

*     

      The Villains:

The Villains in this story are Capricorn and Basta. They are from the book “Inkheart”, but live in our world. We say they are villains because they kill people or make them villains. They kidnap people and they did that with Meggie.

*     Some different people:

There are two characters in this book that are really strange: Dustfinger and Fenoglio. We can’t consider them heroes or villains. They’re in the middle of these two categories. Dustfinger, because he sometimes helps Mo and Meggie, but sometimes he betrays them. Fenoglio is also a character that is neither a hero nor an evil person because he helps the main characters, but in his book (he’s the author from “Inkheart”) he kills Dustfinger. Fenoglio says: “He was such a brilliant character, but I needed to kill him, just because of that.”

Heroes are easy to find

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to find a hero? A hero is a person that does heroic acts. A hero is someone that helps or save another person. There are lots of types of heroes: from those who save people in comics (like Superman or Spiderman) to the heroes that are with us in our daily routine.

An example of heroes is the policemen: they make countries, cities and neighbourhoods better and safer. If they didn’t exist, there would be more robberies, traffic and forgery than there is nowadays.

The Firemen are also heroes: You can see, almost every day, the action of these heroes in the news. Sometimes, there is a big fire in London, or a shipwreck in Italy and they are helping people there, saving their lives.

Everybody has a hero: a friend, or a parent, who does a little thing, but that thing helped you. So, heroes are easy to find. You just need to pay a bit more attention and you’ll see there is one right next to you! 

"In the Garden"

When Mr. Archibald Craven stopped to rest near a lake, he thought about the Secret Garden, where he was happy with his wife. He started to think about Misselthwaite Manor, that he should return.
One night, Mr. Craven dreamed about his dead wife and the garden. In the morning after that, he decided to return to Yorkshire, when he read a letter from Dickon's mother.
On the journey back to England, Mr. Craven thought about Colin and his first days of life. He stopped near the Sowerby's cottage, to talk to Mrs. Susan, but she wasn't there.
When Mr. Archibald Craven arrived at Misselthwaite, he talked to Mrs. Medlock. The old woman said Colin was different and strange. She told to Mr. Craven that the boy was in the gardens.
The man walked through the manor, and stood in front of the Garden's door. He heard laughter and feet running. Then, a boy passed through the door and fell into his arms. Mr. Craven was astonished: the boy in his arms was young, strong and lively. The boy in his arms was his son. They talked about the garden.
And they returned from the garden. And all the servants were surprised when they saw the scene: Colin was walking, happily and healthily.

"'It's Mother!'"

While Mary, Dickon, Ben and Colin worked in the garden, the young rajah talked about Magic and his discoveries. Then, he stood up and felt the sun on his body. Dickon started to sing a song thanking God. Everybody sang it twice and, in the last line, a woman entered the garden. She was Mrs. Susan Sowerby, Dickon's mother.
The woman said Colin looked like his mother and that his legs would be the strongest in the whole world. She also said Mary would be beautiful as her mother, like a rose.
They talked and walked through the garden. Colin asked Mrs. Sowerby if she believed in Magic. She said she did. Colin admired Dickon's mother the rest of the afternoon, wishing she was his mother too. And Mrs. Sowerby said, that Colin's mother would probably be there, in the Garden, looking after him.

"The Curtain"

The Secret Garden became more beautiful day by day. The Robin and his friend took care of their nest. They were a bit apprehensive about Mary and Colin. The young rajah was diferent from the others. He came into the garden with a wheel chair, and was covered with animal blankets.

The Robin wasn't afraid of Dickon. He spoke the robin's language. Then, one rainy day, Mary and Colin were in Misselthwaite Manor. The girl thought of going through the corridors and rooms. There, she and Colin could do their exercices and the young rajah could walk and nobody would see him.

"'Let them laugh'"

Dickon looked after the Secret Garden, but he also took care of a small garden near his family's cottage. There planted he potatoes, cabbages, turnips, carrots and herbs. When Mrs. Sowerby had time, she stood with Dickon there.
One evening, Mrs. Sowerby met her son in the little garden. Then, the boy told her the whole story of the secret Garden: how did Mary found the key, the pretty Robin, Colin, his tantrum, Ben Weatherstaff...
Dickon said Mary and Colin acted every day, and they had a lot of fun doing it. Colin complained with everone and when he and his cousin arrive at the Garden, they laugh a lot.
The two cousins grew stronger and faster, but they were always hungry. Then, Dickon's mother had an idea: bake some bread and send some milk to Mary and Colin, so nobody would be hungry and they could continue acting. For that, Colin and Mary gave Mrs. Sowerby some money.

"Magic"

When Mary and Colin arrived at Misselthwaite Manor, Dr. Craven, Mary's cousin doctor, was waiting for Colin. He said the children were late and, if it continued, he wouldn't let Colin go to the gardens. The young rajah said he wasn't tired and he would go outside even if the doctor don't agree.
Mary said she felt sorry for doctor Craven, because he needed to be educated for ten years with a rude boy (Colin). They talked about it and Colin concluded he would stop beeing rude and would go to the Secret Garden every day. They talked about Magic: the good magic from the garden where nobody was allowed to go in.
The months passed, and the garden was turning more beautiful day by day. Colin thought about the Magic and realized he would learn about it. Then, Dickon, Mary, Ben Weatherstaff and the young rajah sat in circle and they started to do some "Magic": Colin sang about the Magic in the garden, in his feet and in Ben Weatherstaff's back.

"When the sun went down"

Colin asked Mary to go meet Ben Weatherstaff and show him the entrance to the garden. While this, the young Rajah promised himself he would walk. He asked Dickon for help, and when Ben arrived in the garden, Colin was standing in front of him. Colin tried to walk. Then, he learned how to plant a tree and, when the sun went down, Colin continuated to walk. And to laugh.

"Ben Weatherstaff"

In the Secret Garden Colin felt he would live forever. It seemed that the whole world was perfect for just a boy. Dickon, Mary and even Colin spoke with "a bit o' good Yorkshire" accent. Mary and Dickon worked a little in the garden and showed it to Colin. They saw the robin building his nest.
Then, the young rajah saw a man. This man was Ben Weatherstaff. He was watching them from a ladder near the wall from the garden. The old man was surprised. He had heard rumours about Colin, that he was a hunchback, but they were lies. Colin was just a palid thin boy.
Ben said he took care of the garden nobody was allowed to go in it. He said that before Mrs. Craven died, she asked him to look after the garden.