being different

I want to share a motivational speech with you today on being DIFFERENT. If you haven't noticed by now, I have joyfully jumped out of the norm a while ago. Yet, it's not always easy, and everyday I face new challenges (which I welcome), so at times, it's good to read/hear people tell me that it's okay GREAT to be different. Enjoy!

~ If you want to get what everyone is getting, do what everyone is doing. ~


"Dare To Be Different"



THE WALK
I think it all started when I was 18 years old and in my first year at campus. That was about the time that I started to observe people’s behaviour and just to think about life. I was taking a walk with two friends and was in deep thought. They were chatting, but I was not paying attention to what they were saying. Then suddenly I said
“You know guys; I am pretty disappointed with the adult world.”
One of them asked me why and I explained that when I was going to campus I expected a lot of change and difference in the behaviour of the people around me. After all, they were adults. I always thought being an “adult” was a lot different from being a kid. However I felt after being on campus for a few months that the adult world was not what I had expected.
Everyone just seemed to behave like they were still teenagers. Nobody seemed to be outstanding in any way. There was no distinction, as far as I could see, between the 18 year old and the 50 year old apart from their age! Where was the wisdom and excellence I had come to expect. There was no change!
I did not know it then, but over the years I have come to see that the reason people don’t change is simply that they do not dare to be different.

WHAT DOES BEING DIFFERENT MEAN?
Being different means:- Not being afraid to challenge the norm.- Being willing to take a chance.- Asking why.- Making your own track, not just following the well trodden path.- Charting your own course and destiny.- Being the person that you were meant to be.
I believe that everyone is born unique. But through the years we work very hard to be like everyone else. We conform to society’s so-called “common-sense.” Unfortunately it is just that – “common sense.” That does not mean its “good sense.”

THE FOLLY OF EDUCATION.
If I were to take just the people in this room, it is likely that most of you have spent anything from 15 to 20 years getting an education so you can get the jobs you have. Doesn’t it strike you as irresponsible that one can spend so much time getting an education and yet so many people don’t make any deliberate effort to develop their greatest asset – themselves!
Most people think once they have a qualification that’s it. They have arrived. Is it any wonder they don’t grow? They are stagnant. Stuck at 18!
Most of us won’t even read unless there’s an exam in sight. But you know what? Everyday of your life is an exam. Everyday you either pass or fail the test of life. Everyday is an opportunity to grow beyond your present barriers and circumstances. Everyday is a chance to become a better person.
The saddest part is most of people don’t realize this. If they had to be graded at the end of their lives you know what they’d get? D, D and more D’s. And yet they thought they were doing very well. They let society’s “common sense” grade them.

MY ADVICE?
If I can leave you with one piece of advice it would be this: READ
Society celebrates mediocrity so much that it does not take much to set yourself above the rest. Doing that one thing regularly will put you way above the rest. Read books that challenge you and that make you think.
I have decided to read at least one book every month. I’m already amazed at the results.

MY FINAL WORDS
In closing I’d like to say to those of you that are skeptics out there, those of you that are saying “oh, he is just drink with the omnipotence of youth. He’ll get over it, and then he’ll be just like everyone else.”
My words to you are:
“I ain’t going out like that. I know that I have an abundance of potential within me and I will bring it out to fruition. Why?”

“Because…I’M DIFFERENT!”

music can be powerful and healsome

Hey, hey! I have come across a wonderful artist producing the most beautiful, touching and uplifting music I have ever heard. From listening his very first track, I've been captured by these sweet and deep rhythms and lyrics - I love every beat, every word, heck even every syllable!

I have fallen in love with this music and so I feel the urge to share it with you and the rest of the world. I sense this kind of music is an amazing gift and I am filled with gratitude that I have found it. The artist I am talking about is called OGMA. Check out his website and his songs! (You can listen to his first album on his website for free!) - I wouldn't be surprised, if you were enchanted as well. Let me know what you think in a comment below or e-mail, if you feel like it. I am interested in your reaction, as I have experienced waves of love listening to the album "You Are It" over and over the past few days. I mean, the last song is called "Jasmine's Song", so I gotta like it, right? ;)

Here is Samson, the beautiful being behind OGMA, performing two of his songs live:



...SAY YES TO LIFE CAUSE LIFE SAYS YES TO YOU...



Don't you often feel like most music we listen to on the radio/on TV thoughtlessly day in, day out have lyrics that don't have really meaningful and empowering lyrics? Don't you feel that by listening to some songs, you even feel a drain of your energy? Don't you feel that there is a lack of truth and positive intention behind most of them?

Well, at least that's how I feel and that's why I am always excited to come across music like this. I'd love to make music myself one day, as to me this is such a fantastic way of sharing yourself, your uniqueness and your message with the world around you.

Another band I am happy to have discovered as of late is Dispatch. (Thank you, Jess, for your great recommendations!) Check out this song:



say what you want, say what you mean
question yourself, are you really what you seem?
say what you want, say what you mean
question yourself, are you really what you dream?

Enjoy the magic!

gebet an den planeten

Wir alle beten für diesen Planeten,

um jedem neuen Tag in Hoffnung zu begegnen.
Unser Licht durchbricht die Nacht in unsrem Glauben daran.
Dies ist die dunkelste Stunde vor dem Sonnenaufgang.


Es tut mir leid, Tier, denn sie mögen dich so sehr,
sie wollen alles von dir - und am liebsten noch mehr.
Deine Haut ist ihre Kleidung, dein Fleisch ist ihr Essen,
dein Geist ist vergessen.
Bei dem Versuch, das Recht auf Leben in Gesetze zu verpacken,
haben sie bei dir, Tier, einige Sätze weggelassen.
Deine Schreie zu erhören, wurde leider verpasst,
weil du für Menschen keine verständliche Stimme hast,
erhebe ich meine Stimme für dich,
es scheint noch immer vonnöten.
Ihr erinnert euch (nicht): Du sollst nicht töten,
denn du kriegst was du gibst, bist was du isst,
weißt, was das heißt - alles kommt zurück.


Hier ist mein Gebet an diesen Planet,
der Versuch zu beschreiben was mir nahe geht.
Solang sich diese Welt noch dreht,
werdet ihr meine Stimme hören.
Und immer wieder Menschen treffen,
die aufs Leben schwören.


Wir alle beten für diesen Planeten,
Um jedem neuen Tag in Hoffnung zu begegnen.
Unser Licht durchbricht die Nacht in unsrem Glauben daran.
Dies ist die dunkelste Stunde vor dem Sonnenaufgang.


Es tut mir leid, Natur,
denn deine Erben erheben sich gegen dich
und erledigen dich.
Du warst vollkommen in Vielfalt mit allem im Einklang,
bis der Mensch mit Gewalt in dich eindrang.
All deine Schätze, die am Anfang allen gut vertraut,
sie wichen Plätzen die auf Tränen und Blut gebaut.
Ich seh' die Wunden blinder Wut auf deiner Haut entstehn,
obwohl doch die, die dich verletzen, damit gegen sich gehn.
Und dennoch liegt etwas Heiliges in deiner Luft,
an besonderen Plätzen ein besonderer Duft,
der mir sagt, dass jeder Weg so wichtig ist wie jeder Fluss,
und jeder Baum, jeder Berg dort steht, wo er muss.
Sie handeln wider ihren Sinnen, als wären sie blind,
wenn ihre Ziele nicht im Einklang mit den Deinen sind.


Und selbst um dich, Mensch, tut es mir leid,
denn du quälst dich selbst die meiste Zeit.
Im Krieg mit deinem Ego stehst du neben dir,
ewig die Frage verdrängend, weswegen leben wir.
Du findest keinen Frieden hier,
wirst zum seelenlosen Wanderer.
Und dein Lebenskampf geht auf die Kosten anderer.
Verfolg in Liebe all die Ziele, die du gut nennst,
doch gehe nie gegen dein eigenes Blut, Mensch,
denn du irrst wenn du denkst, hier steht jeder für sich,
was gegen uns geht, geht gegen dich.
An jedem Start ist 'ne Ziellinie und wir sind alle gleich weit.
Und aus einer Familie.
Um die Tests dieser Zeit zu bestehn und um weiter zu gehn,
muss hier jeder sein Ego in Demut zurücknehmen.


Hier ist mein Gebet an diesen Planet,
der Versuch zu beschreiben was mir nahe geht.
Solang sich diese Welt noch dreht,
werdet ihr meine Stimme hören.
Und immer wieder Menschen treffen, die aufs Leben schwören.


Wir alle beten für diesen Planeten,
um jedem neuen Tag in Hoffnung zu begegnen.
Unser Licht durchbricht die Nacht in dem Glauben daran.
Dies ist die dunkelste Stunde vor dem Sonnenaufgang.


Mein Gebet an diesen Planet,
der Versuch zu beschreiben, was mir nahe geht.
Solang sich diese Welt noch dreht,
werdet ihr meine Stimme hören.
Und immer wieder Menschen treffen, die aufs Leben schwören.


Wir alle beten für diesen Planeten,
um jedem neuen Tag in Hoffnung zu begegnen.
Und unser Licht durchbricht die Nacht in dem Glauben daran.
Dies ist die dunkelste Stunde vor dem Sonnenaufgang.

- Thomas D

feasting and letting go

I had the most fantastic time at the Fresh Food Festival in Denmark last week. The food was fabulous (and I helped preparing in the kitchen which was great fun) and the people were fascinating, loving and kind. I was happy to meet Doug, Rozi and Fay again, among all the others. Like last year, the atmosphere was so good that I was reluctant to leave. Why can't this last forever? I thought. I made some amazing friends this year and loved the experience as a volunteer. I am deeply grateful for the time I spent there and I am looking forward to new events in the future.

The sad news is that when I arrived back home after a very exhausting 24hours plus train and car travel, I found my beloved dog friend called Daisy in a very bad state of health. She had some nasty thromboses which needed to be removed in an operation. She was operated on the day after my return. The operation went without complications, my mom and I were waiting for the doc to finish and take her back home with us. Suddenly the doc showed up, asking us to follow him into the operation room. There she lay on the table, tubes in her mouth, a big scar on her shaven stomach, unconscious. The monitor showed arhythmic heartbeat. And as I as I stood there, hands on her struggling body, she faded away. Her heart stopped beating.

The doc gave her two adrenaline shots right into her tired heart. No reaction. He tried to re-animate her. No success. She was gone. And didn't intend to come back. Helplessly, I watched her die under my hands, my heart was broken. Daisy was ten years old, she came to our family when I was eleven. We had a very special connection, she was my little darling, my baby, my sister, my best friend. She meant the world to me and she always will.

My grief was very, very intense right after her death. We took her lifeless body home with us and laid her on her bed in our living room. I lied down next to her, unwilling to say goodbye just yet, crying a river of sorrowful tear drops. My mom was there with me, crying because of the loss of such a wonderful being. The world would be lonely without her. We buried her in our garden, her head facing east, to the rising sun. White roses grow above her now, a sphere made of white stone marks her grave, saying 'unforgotten' - and that she always will be.

When you grief, you either lose your appetite and eat less or you try to numb yourself out emotionally in order to 'protect' yourself from the pain. I found myself doing an unintentional 24 hour fast and eating comparatively little the past few days. Processing such intense emotions demands a good deal of nerve energy of the body. Sleep is really important. Sitting with my feelings, as painful as they may be, is the best thing I can do for now. And as I invite the pain and feel deeply into it, it fades away slowly, but gradually, and leaves me feeling grateful for my life, the amazing beings in it and the wonderful time I spent with Daisy. I am really lucky that I knew her, I am forever-grateful for the special connection I had with her. Thank you for enriching my life, Daisy. You will always be in my heart. Rest in Peace. I love you.