FindmyFlis

  Walking along the country road nearby our place in Northern Italy on a Sunday afternoon, I am aware of the peace that suddenly encompasses me as I leave the hustle and bustle of the centre behind and the hills unfold before me. A sense of freedom and being at one with the environment around me leaves a smile on my face. It was the right choice to get out into nature and leave behind all the pressing things, at least for a few hours. Why does this tranquillity and the right to live seem so luxurious? Why the sudden pangs of guilt for taking time out? Who exactly do we think is running after us? Every day of our lives is a gift, a chance to do something new, to further develop our passions and talents, or to offer something of ourselves that only we can offer. When will we start to realise that our lives have a greater value to them, which we will only truly experience when we give ourselves permission to let go and embrace, love and accept everything that we represent? The carefre...

  We chat to the local owner of the cafe we have visited for at least five years and get the latest news. On our way to work by train we strike up a conversation with someone who we see regularly waiting on the platform and get to know some of their life story. At work we catch up with colleagues about any developments around the coffee machine. Later, we bump into some friends on a street corner and get talking about what they have been doing. But how much do we really know about these people and the lives they lead? Even more so since Covid, the number of those facing real hardship has increased. This does not just include financial poverty, but also emotional fatigue and mental separation. It is uncomfortable to ask the question, but are the people we care about and interact with really OK and, if not, what can we do? How many of us honestly consider reaching out but then pull back as we already have too many responsibilities and pressing things to do? The more you interact with...

  “Resistance is the secret of joy!” Alice Walker As I approach the same hill on a route that I have used regularly in my running routine, I adjust my breathing and my footwork, use more power from my arms, and concentrate on the journey and technique, rather than the destination to power me to the top. When we are facing a challenge, especially if the prospects are not looking good, we need to prepare our strategy without over-analysing the 'what if's' or adding the famous 'but...' whilst we're starting to gather our energy, and use our developed resistance to get to the destination. Rather than just being a question of using all your strength and force until you drop, the key to success is building the foundations of a deep resistance both mentally and physically, that may surprisingly result in a faster and more satisfying overall performance. I have recently started adding some ballet barre exercises into my fitness regimen. This is thanks to a friend whose ...

  Un racconto di due città (Londra e Parma...) Aspettando in piedi sulle scale fuori dall'ufficio del servizio sanitario di Parma in una fredda giornata di novembre, mi rendo conto di quanto la Brexit abbia complicato la mia vita e quella di chi vive nell'Unione Europea e nel Regno Unito. Una decisione che ha messo in pausa l'esistenza di migliaia di persone a causa dei rischi legati all'occupazione, alla patente di guida, ai problemi di residenza e persino all'unione delle famiglie coinvolte, solo per toccare la punta dell'iceberg. Il problema ora è che ci sono più domande che risposte, tutto è nuovo e "un lavoro in corso". Molti paesi non sono riusciti a raggiungere un accordo con il Regno Unito e quindi il nostro futuro è in bilico. Noi, "gli altri" , andiamo avanti in una nebbia di incertezza, di fronte ad una rete di problemi in continuo sviluppo, quando onestamente tutto quello che vogliamo fare è lavorare, continuare a svolgere il nost...

  A tale of two cities (London and Parma...) Standing on the stairs outside of the health service in Parma on a cold November day, I realise how much Brexit has complicated my life and those living in the European Union and within the UK. One decision has put the lives of thousands of people on pause due to risks with employment, driving licences, residency issues and even families managing to stay together, just to touch the top of the iceberg. The issue now is that there are more issues than answers and everything is new and "a work in progress". Many countries have not managed to reach an agreement with the UK and so our futures are in the balance. We "the others" are going along in a mist of uncertainty, confronted with a continuously developing web of problems, when honestly all we want to do is work, continue going about our daily business as we always have done and use our skills to the best of our abilities for all countries concerned. Tired, slightly frustr...

  A volte, nel trambusto della vita quotidiana, dimentichiamo o forse mettiamo da parte gli aspetti che ci hanno reso quello che siamo. C'è sempre qualcosa da preparare o da fare che può distrarci e portarci fuori rotta dai nostri valori o dagli obiettivi che potremmo aver temporaneamente spazzato sotto il tappeto. Non c'è assolutamente nulla di sbagliato nel cambiare direzione e lavorare verso cose nuove, come non c'è altrettanto nulla di sbagliato nel ricordare occasionalmente da dove veniamo e ciò che ci rende unici. Da quando avevo sei anni e ho avuto la mia prima lezione, la musica e il pianoforte giocano un ruolo importante nella mia vita: sono capaci di tenermi a terra con gli occhi fissi nella direzione verso cui voglio andare. Ci possono essere mille voci che provano a portarmi in un'altra direzione, come all'inizio della pandemia, ma poi siedo al piano e ho una chiarezza e pace che non vorrei cambiare per niente. Per alcuni, è catturare l'essenza di un...

  Sometimes, through the hustle and bustle of life, we forget or maybe put to one side the things that have essentially made us who we are. There is always something to prepare or do that can distract us and lead us off course from the values or the goals we may have temporarily brushed under the carpet. There is by no means anything wrong with changing direction and working towards new things, but there is equally nothing wrong with occasionally remembering where we came from and what makes us unique. Since I was six and had my first piano lesson, music and the piano have played an important role in my life. They have a way of grounding me and keeping me firmly planted in the direction I mean to go. There can be a thousand voices pulling me in different directions, particularly around the beginning of the pandemic, but then I sit down at the piano and I have a clarity and peace that I would not change for anything. For some, it is capturing the essence of a landscape in a painting...