As you know, I have been helping out in a band for a few months. Lately, we played a gig. One of the songs we performed was “Tu Vuo’ Fa l’Americano”. It is about an Italian from Naples who pretends to be an American by dressing and acting like one (at least in his opinion), which makes him appear completely unreal. He doesn’t even speak American…

But doesn’t this sound familiar? We want what we don’t have. And by that, we overlook and don’t appreciate those things we do or could have. Things that others would love to have. As a teenager, I wanted hair like a lion’s mane, preferably with curls. I went for perms for years only to be back on my straight hair a few weeks later. Others, whom I admired for their hair, wished to have my straight hair. Meanwhile, I am happy with my hair. It is fitting me best, and I can make with it what I want without damaging my hair anymore. It’s me. Another example: I always wanted to live at the ocean or the sea. Yes, still, I would not mind it. But since I look differently at the mountains surrounding me, I couldn’t appreciate this magical scenery more. What we see as normal, or what we are used to, is not special.

I don’t think it is bad striving for more than we are or than we have. Only that way do we develop and discover ourselves and everything around us new. Only that way, we experience ourselves with all senses, the good, the bad, and we get closer to what we really want or who we want to be. Actually, we get closer to the insight into who we really are. It is the journey between the opposites to remember who we are, what we really want, and what matters the most for oneself. During that journey, we learn patience and serenity, contentment and gratitude. And we learn that we always have and are something special. By exploring a lot, we learn that we need less.

So, if you are already fine with everything that is, amazing! If you are exploring and discovering how to develop, amazing! Let’s go for new shores but appreciate the one we started because, without that one, we would not have any comparison… or so I think.

In Love and Light