THE GREAT SNOW

So much snow fell on Milan two days ago! It was very beautiful to take a walk while it was snowing with Koa, who would run happily in the park covered in a blanket of white which had quickly transformed the walkway. During the snow I noticed that the internal lights of houses became warmer and softer, and the sky also remained lighter, it seemed like we were living in a nativity. Even people change when there is snow, and everyone wants to return to childhood and play. Of course Max and Koa would not miss the opportunity: here they are happily rolling in the snow that continues to fall while Lauren takes the photos to immortalize their first White Christmas.

Dinner

Here we are a few days before Christmas and the dinners to celebrate are one after the other every evening. Whether they are at home or at the house of a friend or at a restaurant, these are always evenings where you eat and drink too much. It is difficult to resist certain appetizing dishes that normally are not included in our diet and then here we all are complaining that our waistline has grown or we have trouble sleeping because our bodies are not used to so much abbundance. On the other hand Christmas is also this: the occation to visit with friends and family that we see very little during the year and spend a few peaceful and happy hours with them….eating! After the holidays, everyone must return to their schedules and daily routines and resist the temptation to let out their belts: better to decide to restrict ourselves, our bodies will be thankful and we will enjoy our health together.

White Christmas

How wonderful is the snow at Christmas! It is like the times of old, when the everyday rhythm of life was at man’s speed. Today unfortunately a little of the magic is lost in the effort to always meet daily demands, which in a city like Milan scatters you between hurried purchases and constant traffic jams.
Also the snow becomes a problem, causing only inconveniences and becoming another thing to make us angry, as if we don’t already have enough things to anger us!It is difficult, but if we all have the courage to stop ourselves for a moment and think about what Christmas represents, remembering that it is a celebration dedicated to love and kindness, maybe we will be able to accept also the inconveniences of a beautiful snowfall and enjoy the spectacle it gives us!

Wonderful Evening

It was truly wonderful and well organized the event at Codrignani Store, the sports store working with Desert Therapy, which continues to become a big family, and it turned into a occasion for seeing friends and others passionate about travel and adventure.

There was a large crowd of visitors, curious to know the details of the next trips, which we presented in a film of the White Desert followed by a happy hour with a rich buffet offered by Ferrino. There was strong representation of participants from the first two editions of Desert Therapy, with whom we will go next summer on a new trip, again all together. A window was dedicated to the desert: anyone desiring information can turn to Roberto, to owner of the shop who will be glad to answer your questions and share about his experience with us.

Diversity

What does it mean to “be different”? I find incorrect this definition that identifies people who don’t fall within the determined scheme of society. But it is not correct, the society, the judge who can allow themselves to define who is normal and who is not.

My experience with Fabio, the blind marathon-runner with whom I crossed the White Desert, let me have the great privilege of seeing into the world of the handicapped. I discovered wonderful, balanced, sensitive and above all determined people, who live a life rich with values. How can someone think to difine “different” men and women such as these? From them we can only learn and find a good example. To the differences that many consider “normal” which actually scorn the next and who think only of personal benefit: these are the individules that we must judge and that should be excluded, maybe sent to an island: The Island of the Different

Again this year....

It is the same story: every year, without fail, I promise myself to plan ahead getting Christmas gifts: “by the end of November I will do everything, this way I can enjoy the last days peacefully.” I have never been able to keep this promise and again this year I will wait till the end as always. For some odd reason that I can’t understand, out of nowhere Christmas is here. And yet until a few days ago it seemed far away! I have the impression that time speeds up too much, but this happens not only for me. Also for Max, who is much younger, something has changed. I remember when I was his age and the days seemed long: I found time to do many things and there was always extra time to enjoy my hobbies. However now it is not this way and together we see the weeks pass in a moment. What is happening? Beats me. It is true that when someone says they are bored we look at them like they are from Mars. Boredom is an unknown word for us: maybe we are missing something?

In the gym

For a little while I have been missing the gym. The pressure of work and Desert Therapy have kept me away for that place where I spent a lot of time preparing myself to face the desert, under the guidance of Franco, the athletic trainer who followed all of my adventures in during these years. This is not to say that I am stopping, on the contrary! I have always taken daily runs outdoors and walking with Desert Therapy has contributed to keep me in shape in this in-between time. Now however, the rainy days don’t allow me to go out and train without risking catching some illness and therefore the gym remains the ideal place to keep up my training. With the machines you can maintain a good muscular tone and you can run in place on the treadmills. An hour is sufficient to maintain good physical health and to feel good: ready for another walk in the White Desert