#state of mind
I really need to make a feminist blog where I only post uplifting and motivating things about women and girls. Women are fighting all around the world, doing great things and connecting, if we focus on that maybe we’ll achieve more. Cause right now we are acknowledging what men are doing to us, which is good and necessary, but we’re not really organizing, acting and building anything in response to it. Most of us aren’t anyway. And maybe part of it is a state of despair, sideration and isolation. We need to cultivate a more positive, creative and dynamic state of mind and put our thoughts into actions. A good start would be to promote real connections and to look at what women are doing everywhere and in every way and realize how strong and capable we are as well.
“Una goccia di colore può diventare arte se tocca l'anima.”
(R.Sidoli)
“Carpe diem”.
(Quinto Orazio Flacco)
“Le persone sensibili vivono in punta di piedi per non disturbare nessuno. Attraversano la vita senza fare rumore, perché tutto il "rumore” ce l'hanno dentro…“
- Antonio Curnetta
“Guardati dentro e ricordati che hai superato sempre tutto”
- Anonimo
“È il tempo che tu hai perduto per la tua rosa che ha fatto la tua rosa così importante.”
(A. de Saint-Exupéry)
“Non è chi ti sta vicino a conoscerti meglio ma chi sa leggerti l'Anima”
- Anonimo
Today I’m very pleased to introduce you to Lazaro, my favorite Cuban handyman!
More than an electrician, Lazaro could be a plumber, a mechanic, a gardener, a cooker, etc.. He is always here to help in the resolution of difficult situations, always here to find a solution!
I have always been impressed by this kind of people. And what a pleasure to know one of them here in Cuba!
How did they learn all these skills? Why is my generation not like this? Let’s ask Lazaro!
- First, when I was a child, he said, I didn’t see anyone in my house, I mean any specialist, fixing anything. I always saw my dad or my grandfather repairing all kind of things like lamps, toilets, the roof, a car but also jewelry, shoes and so on. They had tools for everything! It was very impressive and I wanted to understand: how did they do? So when someone was repairing something I was trying to be next to him in order to see him, to learn and to be able to do this by myself for the next time.
- Not everything is perfect in my work! I remember once, a friend didn’t have hot water. He called a specialist who wasn’t available for the next three days. I decided to help him and I arranged the problem as best as I could. I succeeded, it was working and I was very proud of me! But the day after he called me telling me that his house was totally flooded!!! I was so confused… Why could I say? He laughed. We learn a lot from our mistakes!
- In Cuba when you need a tool or something it’s sometimes difficult to find it or it could be very expensive just for a stupid piece of plastic! My dad created the missing items and he transmitted me his talent! And I still call him when I have a doubt. In Cuba, we transfer this kind of skills from generation to generation. That is probably the reason why we always have 50’s vintage car! He laughed.
- Do you want me to tell you the secret to be able to fix everything? Keeping a substantial stock of a thousand things.
Lazaro stopped speaking and he went to the little room behind the kitchen. He started opening the cupboards to take out things. He opened a cigar box full of screws, nails, washers, staples, anchors, wires and so on.
Then he opened a cardboard where there were ten different shower tubes and another one with ten different kind of plastic bottles.
- People often make fun of me when they see all that I keep but they are quite happy when I repair something in 2 minutes! He said.
- So, I’m not a specialist in anything, he continued. Being handyman is just a state of mind. Well, I guess my studies helped me too. I’m a civil and industrial engineer and I also studied in the construction sector and my father was a mechanic.
- I’m a little bit disappointed by the new generation. People are less and less able to do something with their own hands! I really want to transmit this spirit to my two sons. Sometimes they want me to show them how I work, sometimes not. They prefer watching a football game or playing with their phone. They don’t pay attention to what I’m doing and saying.
So, as you probably understood, we have a lot to learn from the old generation: take care of your shower tube, screws, nails, and staples! It could be useful one day! ;)
And if you are now looking for something impossible to find in Havana, what do you have to do? Keep Calm & Call Lazaro!
Thank you very much for this interview Lazaro, really ingenious and creative!
Clémence.
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“ And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. ”
