Mãrţişor

Mãrţişor is the traditional Romanian celebration of first day of spring (March 1). This is the moment when we all wake up to life from the long winter – and for me, is the moment when good things start happening in my existence. It is like this every year!

Maybe the blood of my ancestors – Romans and Thracians – is still flowing in my veins. They also celebrated the Gods of agriculture, vegetation and land on this day. Since then, women or men (but I prefer women) wear this red and white string for the first week of March, to bring them good luck, power and health for the year to come.

This is a beautiful tradition, which I proudly pursued every year, wherever I found myself...

When back home, I would receive little funny talismans from class mates. Later on, growing up, dad would give us a jewel and the first Snowdrops of spring. Year by year, I would wear this every day until March 8 – Mother/Women’s Day… when other jewels were about to come...

When Bucharest, I would start wearing the red and white Mãrţişor string around my neck – as a sign of independence… - that's how I met Dodo.

When Paris, I would receive a string from home, in a little package, picked up from Galliéni bus station in the middle of the night…

When Barcelona, I would email a picture of Snowdrops, to enrich the spring feeling…

When Honolulu, spring was nothing like what I used to know… it was summer! We went to the beach on March 1. Mãrţişor was there, but nobody knew it. It was impossible to find any Snowdrops or any other spring flowers… at best I couldn’t dream of Hyacinths leis, but there were none …

When San Diego, it became more unconventional... In a place where people still didn’t know about this tradition, the colors of the string became more personal and special, but still there was a difference in mood from how people feel back home.

Snowdrops and the miracle of new life is all I want…

Who knows where next Mãrţişor will find me?...

Happy spring!!