Presence

Presence means to be pre. It turns out by following the Latin track; as if he wanted to play hide and seek, the meaning of being is hidden inside an apparent "without". Thus, in fact, the present participle of the Latin verb "esse" has reached us; or more precisely of a variant of it, "sens", which also formed the opposite word, absence. To be, to be something, is a noble thing. Even any stone has its dignity to exist, to stay there, as a stone.

But in presence there is so much more, those three letters add one, two, three fundamental meanings. And from these many others have developed, so much so that one of the largest dictionaries of the Italian language has to list dozens and dozens of them. Pre: from the preposition "prae", once again the Latin track. That is, in front, in space; that is why presence means being in front of. It is then understood how the gifts presented are a sign of the presence of those who sent them. And then be first, in time, but still be; better to say to be already before, to be present. Both meanings together, and here the door
it brings in mystery. To be already at first, as a gift, present for something.

Fabio Arduini

NP March 2021