Thirty-nine steps

One more week-end to go. On Saturday we visited a fine young couple: Graţiela & Cornel. Nice chat on films. Eventually we focused on Tarkovsky’s films. The chat was somehow affected by a certain amount of imbalance – understandable to a point, as it is not in the current state of affairs to be infected with the "madness" Tarkovsky’s films will spread to all who are ready to respond to his calling and sense of beauty. My host gave me food for thought as he claimed he was kind of put off by the Russian artist’s concern with the matter of faith and he even blamed Tarkovsky for having ridiculed his scientific characters for being spiritual impotent. True, if one considers Snaut and Sartorius (plus all the other scientists who mock at Berton’s discovery) in Solyaris, the Professor in Stalker. Yet, Chris as well as his father (both scientists) are somehow “saved”. My host claims he has only watched Solyaris and Stalker from Tarkovsky’s films and he loves the books that inspired these films, books he condiders to be nearly perfect. Thus, according to him Tarkovsky seems to have rather missed (or ignored) the whole point those books make. Anyway, it was nice talking to them. I do hope to meet them again and – why not? – watch together one of Tarkovsky’s movies before chatting on them.

On Sunday we cooked a meal (fired salmon and vegetables with rucola) for our friends (Alina, Ramona, Oana, Mircea, Mihaela, Cornel, Tatiana, Claudiu, Lia & Dorin) with whom we spent the evening. It was great to have them all with us. Now, the time we spent is but a memory, and so is my life of thirty-nine years – completed today (the 3^rd). My friends gave me fine gifts and a lovely card showing a man climbing (jumping?) over the peaks of a rocky mountain at sunset (or is it at dawn?) – and I suspect the one who bought it was thinking of the lyrics of that pop hit she knows I love these days - Rise Up:

My dream is to fly
Over the rainbow so high
Rise Up
don't fall down again
Rise Up
long time I broke the chains.
I try to fly a while so high
direction's sky

Very considerate and thoughtful they were when the wrote a little something on the card, wishing me to be surrounded by dear friends as I climb (Tatiana & Claudiu), to have a joyful climb (Oana & Mircea), to reach the end of the journey (Dorin & Lia’s wishes were the most…eschatological). The most surprising wish came from Mihaela & Cornel, who quoted...Nietzsche (?!) – knowing how much I fancy his shocking aphorisms. They were all very nice.

On my last birthday of the thirties my friends sang for me “Happy Birthday” and Theodor and Raluca joined them…Touching.

Not to forget: Mum, Raluca’s parents and her granny were also kind and considerate today (well...yesterday).