Friday 27 February 2009

Cannot stop that



Not even crisis can stop spring for coming and people trying to enjoy this time of year.
These days, everything around is about Martisor. Stands selling them everywhere, people fussing, choosing, buying, even starting to wear them, even if it's one or two days too early. I got my first one today and I had to pin it to my blouse, because the kid who gave it to me insisted I put it on.
Going shopping for martisoare on this first sunny warm day in weeks is a good way to change your thoughts. And you can find anything you want, from cheap but nice ones hand made (many students or old people have been working on them months before) , to gold ones. One for every pocket, even in times of crisis. An inexpensive joy of giving.
Regardless of the price, the small thing with the white and red thread always has a meaning, a feeling or a wish attached to it: love for a heart, luck for a horse shoe or a chimney sweeper, hope for an anchor or a key, wisdom for an owl or a dolphin, freedom for a butterfly or a bird, even "good-bye" for a pair of slippers. Simple well-known symbols. And the wish will come true if you tie it to a tree after wearing it.
Have a sunny spring! Happy March 1st!

2 comments:

caluad said...

Sometimes I wonder why people still need these ancient traditions to wish other people hidden desires: luck, love, wisdom.
It must be something engraved in our collective conscience from the very beginning of culture.
We don't have this to start spring but I wish you all luck, love, wisdom, patience, success, a good spring.

ivasil said...

I have no explanation why this is one of our most beloved traditions. Maybe it's just another opportunity to express feelings, a simple wordless one. Maybe for the nice feeling it gives both to the giver and (hopefully) to the receiver. Maybe for the sake of wearing the small amulets, women stuff!
Thank you very much.