BY ITSELF BEAUTIFUL

WHEN times get difficult, I often turn to books but, I have to say, I most often turn to beauty!

Pictures of fashion, lipstick, magazines, art, World Fashion TV -- all these make me feel better!

Of course, I don't underestimate the power of books. A good fiction piece, like Fifty Shades of Grey, Great Expectations, or even the first Twilight, are excellent to lift the mood. Thank goodness we got Christian (Grey).

Non-fiction is also excellent for the mood. For me, nothing beats a good history, art, or book history volume. But my favorites are again books about beauty, fashion and cosmetics!

I would also recommend a lovely memoir by Haruki Murakami, which I read in excellent Greek translation by Vasilis Kimoulis (Βασίλης Κιμούλης, Oceanida Publishers). The title is What I talk about when I talk about running, and it is absolutely wonderful.

I transcribe what is, for me, the best passage in the book (my translation, from Greek):
"In other words, we have to face it: life is basically unfair. Yet, even in an unfair situation, I believe it's possible to seek out a form of justice. Of course, this will take time and effort. And it might seem that it is not even worth to try. Whether you will eventually try, is entirely up to you".

Sometimes things get bad -- but I always think of Murakami's words, and decide that it is, eventually, worth to try. And I think that this is by itself beautiful.