“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all even when his hands got arthritis, too. That’s Love.” Rebecca – age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss” Emily – age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” Bobby – age 7

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it
everyday.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” Cindy – age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare – age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine – age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris – age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old
clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you” Karen – age 7

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.” Mark – age 6

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget,” Jessica – age 8

(to be continued)

I’m flying home for Christmas (on the 14th).

Peste 6 luni o sa implinesc 20 de ani. Ma sperie putin gandul asta, pentru ca imi dau seama ca s-au dus deja 20 de ani din viata mea. Si parca trec din ce in ce mai repede. Viata e ca un pariu pe care il faci cu tine insuti – e important sa stii cand si ce sa pariezi. Daca esti sigur pe tine si pe ceea ce stii, e foarte probabil sa castigi, dar daca nu… sunt mari sanse sa pierzi. Si ce poate fi mai rau decat sa pierzi un pariu cu tine insuti?

Am intalnit pana acum tot felul de oameni. Oamenii… ce fiinte complexe. Mereu m-a fascinat natura umana. Imi place sa cred ca oamenii au un suflet frumos, chiar daca uneori trebuie sa sapi foarte adanc ca sa il dezbraci de straturile de praf care l-au facut sa amorteasca. Problema e ca pe sufletele tuturor se asterne, din cand in cand, praf. Si daca nu avem grija sa il curatam, el o sa se tot adune, pana cand o sa devina aproape imposibil sa mai scapam de el. Nu putem astepta sa stearga altcineva praful de pe sufletele noastre. E responsabilitatea noastra sa avem grija de el – asa cum e responsabilitatea celorlalti sa stearga praful de pe sufletele lor. Un suflet acoperit de praf  e un suflet pe jumatate mort. Un om care are sufletul amortit e un om care nu se bucura de viata asa cum ar trebui, un om care e prins intr-o capcana pusa de el insusi. Si cand te gandesti ca depinde doar de tine sa iti dezmortesti sufletul…

Nu, nu am zis ca e usor. Cateodata praful se lipeste de suflet si atunci cand incerci sa il dai jos, rani ascunse ies la suprafata; de multe ori sangerezi; cateodata simti ca iti arde de la atata durere. Dar singurul mod in care poti vindeca o rana e deschizand-o, scotand-o la suprafata. Daca o tii acoperita nu se va vindeca niciodata, va fi mereu vulnerabila in fata accidentelor. Daca vrei sa se vindece trebuie sa o lasi la lumina si sa o ingrijesti. Usor, usor se va cicatriza si, cu timpul, doar tu vei stii ca acolo a fost candva o rana.

Vorbeam despre oameni. Da, eu cred in continuare ca toti oamenii au, in adancul lor, un suflet bun, pur. Doar ca unii dintre noi se pierd pe drum. Cativa se regasesc mai tarziu, iar altii traiesc o viata intreaga pierduti de adevaratul lor spirit. Unul din adevarurile primordiale ale existentei umane este ca toti oamenii isi doresc sa aiba iubire in viata lor. Cu totii ne dorim sa fim iubiti, apreciati, respectati. Dar nu toti intelegem ca, atata timp cat nu oferim iubire, nu vom primi inapoi iubire. Nu putem cere fara sa oferim. De fapt, putem cere, dar nu vom primi nimic atata timp cat nu vom invata sa oferim mai intai.

Vine iunie. Se termina primul an de facultate… Cum? Cum a trecut asa de repede?? Cineva sa faca timpul sa stea…

…and this is how you study 3 hours before the exam.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, with Sybille d’Orgeval and Baptiste Rouget-Luchaire, launched the project “6 Billion Others”.
5,000 interviews were filmed in 75 countries by 6 directors who went in search of the Others.

Read more about it here.