A Life Devoted to Quality of Life - Festschrift in Honor of Alex C. Michalos

I believe that anyone has one or more guides (“maestro,” in Italian). I feel to be lucky since I had very few maestri and Alex is one of them. I met Alex for the first time in 1999 in Rome, at the presentation of a collective book which I also contribute to. I immediately felt a strong scientifi c affi nity and perceived a great humanity. The presentation was done in Italian but it seemed that he understood everything. The message that he transmitted was clear to me: apart from the individual scientific position, the language in the field of quality of life has no limits and boundaries. From that moment, I kept in touch with him and followed in parallel the development of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies. I have no need to remark Alex’s high scientific level. In this respect, Alex represented always an important guide for me. But he was an example for me also from the personal point of view. I noticed that in any conference I attended and where Alex was present, he attended sessions by paying to any presentation always a great attention independently of who was the speaker, famous or young, academic or practitioner, by giving precious suggestions and advices, and by giving encouragements, supports, and opportunities. And there I realized the difference between being a great scholar and being a great maestro. With time, the initial feelings of affi nity and humanity increased more and more. This happened also in particular occasions and diffi cult moments, when I asked for his suggestions and advices. I felt always being understood and supported. Chance decided that I had to fi ll two positions that were previously (and successfully) filled also by him, presidency of ISQOLS and direction of Social Indicators Research journal. In these positions I tried and try to be inspired by his example. I am not sure if I was and am successful in interpreting that inspiration, but I will be keeping on being inspired by him.