“Whenever two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man as the other person sees him, and each man as he really is.” (1)William James, American philosopher and psychologist, born on 11 January 1842 “When two people meet, each one is changed by the other… Read More When Two People Meet…
John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, 1st Baron Acton was an English historian, politician and writer commonly known as Lord Acton.He was born in Naples, Italy, on 10 January 1834.The birth certificate, written in Italian, described his father as Don Ferdinando Riccardo Acton, “Lord-in-Waiting to His Majesty Whom God preserve” and English Baronet, and his mother… Read More Lord Acton (1)
“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live. Now” (1)[Joan Baez, American musician, and activist, born on 9 January 1941] On 30 March 2020 the American singer-songwriter broadcast a video in which she sang an Italian song to celebrate Italy’s positive musical… Read More Happy Birthday, Joan Baez 🎂
“A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of its business, cannot help making celebrities of the people who would destroy it.”Lewis H. Lapham – Harper’s (March 1985) Lewis Henry Lapham, born on 8 January 1935 is an American writer,… Read More Violence
“We Three Kings”, is a Christmas carol whose lyrics and music were written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. in 1857. (Here you can find lyrics and video)At the time Hopkins was an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church, and while serving as music director of the General Theological Seminary in New York City he composed… Read More “We Three Kings” (2. Commentary)
In his homily for today, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Francis tookhis cue from the liturgical readings and focused on the three fundamental steps of worshipping (a theme that is a bit uncommon in this era where everything takes place in a rush, we are all focused on our problems, and… Read More Epiphany/ “We Three Kings” (1. Lyrics and Translation)
C’è una sola cosa che si scrive solo per se stesso, ed è la lista della spesa. Serve a ricordarti che cosa devi comperare, e quando hai comperato puoi distruggerla perché non serve a nessun altro.Ogni altra cosa che scrivi, la scrivi per dire qualcosa a qualcuno. Umberto Eco, scrittore, semiologo, filosofo ed esperto di… Read More Scrivere✍
“New Year: A Dialogue” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1909) MORTAL:“The night is cold, the hour is late, the world is bleak and drear;Who is it knocking at my door?” THE NEW YEAR:“I am Good Cheer.” MORTAL:“Your voice is strange; I know you not; in shadows dark I grope.What seek you here?” THE NEW YEAR:“Friend, let… Read More New Year: A Dialogue
“Auld Lang Syne” is a traditional Scottish song with words attributed to the national poet of Scotland, Robert Burns, traditionally used to celebrate the start of the New Year.In 1788 Burns restored this song based on fragments of an old ballad and adding a few verses. He said he had transcribed it from “an old… Read More Auld Lang Syne
Hogmanay, the Scots word for the last day of the year, is a celebration that is sometimes considered even more important than Christmas in Scotland, and it is followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year’s Day and, in some cases, on 2 January, which is a bank holiday in Scotland.In the rest… Read More First Footer
