Seen In Stresa: Pensieri Positivi

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Seen In Stresa: Pensieri Positivi - Positive Thoughts

11:26 AM |

Dana Kaplan, Stresa Sights |

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Some of the shops in Stresa are closed in these winter days. Several of those have security gates pulled down over the windows. While walking through town this morning I happened to glance at this gate, at what I thought were notices or ads. Instead, I was rewarded for looking with a series of Pensieri Positivi, Positive Thoughts. Someone had taken the time to write and then carefully tape to the gate a selection of sayings. Here are a few translations:

The top saying, Ogni essere e' unico e irripetibile, means: Each being is unique and unrepeatable. It is attributed to Antonio Rosmini. Below it, attributed to Buddha, is: Noi siamo cio che abbiamo pensato, This seems to be part of a slightly longer quote: We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think.

( continued.... )

La felicita dipende da noi. Happiness depends on us. Attributed to Aristotle.

This is an old proverb, in old Piemontese dialect. It speaks of December 2, the saint day of San Bibbiano. It states that, if the 2nd of December is a nice day, weather-speaking, for Santa Bibbiana, then the next 40 days plus one week more will also be nice. This year, that seems to be true, at least so far.

And this one isn't attributed to anyone, but I recognize it from Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann. Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

I have asked a couple of people about the notices, and both had seen them. Bene... it makes me glad to know that these pensieri positivi have been observed. Who knows how many have thought on them as they continue with their day... Grazie Stresa's secret philosopher...