Time – if not this time we can do it next time

Time…what a strange term.

People say “We still have time“. But do we? Is a person who is saying “I am a time millionaire” richer than a person who is a millionaire due to the money terms?”

Recently a beloved work colleague in his 40s has passed away. We used to work together in UK, drink tea together and traveled once on a business trip together. On top of being a friendly, beloved and modest person I personally appreciated that once he became an important manager that his personality remained the same without any sign of arrogance.

During a business meeting he collapsed and was brought to the nearest hospital. Upon hearing this news I contacted him if he needed anything since it happened out of UK. He was kind in answering back that he was hoping to be released. After that as we all do-it- Life itself kept me busy. Filled with mainly work, family and friends- the wheel of life was carrying on. Once in awhile I was asking about his well being and heard that cancer was detected but that the treatment had started. Sometimes I was thinking “oh I should write him“. Also I heard although that he was in the hospital or at home that he answered the e-mails.

2017 was over and we all celebrated New Year Eve with new resolutions for 2018.

Some celebrated with their families and/or friends other planned perhaps something special. Others got proposed to and whilst looking at the fireworks with a glass of bubble in our hands we looked up to the sky with a smile on our lips.

Upon returning back to work a friend of this colleague announced that our beloved colleagues had passed by during New Year Eve.

Sometimes it can be too late to do certain actions. Sometimes cancelling a meet up with a friend, not visiting the family, not going to a wedding, not attending a baby shower or not writing back, not contacting someone who is on your mind could be the last time you will have a chance to do it and regret will be left behind.

Time is precious and we do not have as much left of it as what we think.

Do things rather than wait for the right timing.

This right timing is now!

Milan at August- Dead City

As I like to call lovingly Milano during the August time – the dead city! 

Some people love it, some people hate it and most are not here!

The usual morning rush hour of people storming to the tabaccherie to grab their famous brioche and the cappuccino has been replaced by shut down stores with chairs being put upside down on the tables. 

The neighbours with the shouting children and were at the end one of the two parents shout out “Basta!” and sigh a relieved “Madonna” once the children have finally left their homes is replaced by a utter silence and only the cracks of the floors of the beautiful and old homes can be heard. 

Even the advertisements and the public transportation are affected by the literal shut down period of the whole city. The metros arrive every 15 to 20 minutes rather than every 5 minutes. Instead of the low cost, high quality advertisements for resteraunts the advertisement use the only words, which will make an impact during this time! They say: “We are open!”. That is all that is needed to attract the remainders of this city. 

From hairdresser, bars, resteraunts to dry cleaners they have all shut down and a hand written sign tells us when they will be back.

Ah Milano how beautiful you can be when parking can be found without any problems, when there are no traffic jams! We – the few survivors, who have staid behind enjoy the warmth without any loud noises and crowd of people and sit outside by one of the few open places and drink peacefully our Aperol Spritz!

Random everyday quotes

Once in awhile we hear powerful quotes from random people at everyday situations.

They might be powerful once that stick to our mind or the once, which make us chuckle or see certain occurrences from a different perspective and make you think for awhile or longer about them.

Below are some listed from people at every day situations:

• If it is cold you wait, if it is not you eat. ( Lianne, entrepreneur/ Internations dinner organiser -about food)
• Just because they belong together it does not mean that they have to be always together (my mum/ Hale, an engineer- about packing shoes separately but also applicable to many other things)
• If you cannot hear yourself how will you be able to hear me? (Random movie quote from the woman arguing with her husband – about any argument applicable basically)
• Germans are driving aggressive as well however within the set rules (Deniz-me/ Contract Manager – about the driving style of Germans compared to Italian and Turkish driving style)
• Everything has an end only the sausage has two (Random German saying- about any ending in life)
• I am a free time millionaire (Edina, full time student who moved from Munich to Sarajevo to experience a full time freedom)
• If you are a pilot you need to be able to read the clouds (Enrico/ soon to be helicopter pilot about being a pilot)
• If I can help people, I feel like that I am not a nobody (Agusta, Portier in Milano about helping others)
• Just because you have seen it, it does not mean that you have done it (Sam/ US soldier based in Germany since 10 years- about experiences in life)

The ride

They were riding on their bicycles side by side since quite awhile. She started to not recognize the streets anymore. Out of nowhere her fellow rider kicked into the bicycle so that she hit the wall hard and her bicycle fell with a loud sound on the floor. She immediately felt her back pain and by the time she had recovered to look she saw only the back wheels of the person, who had done this to her. They had known each other for awhile and it came unexpected to her. 

With some pain she got up and recognised that she was in an isolated place. There were no people on the road. At daylight, with no person to help, all by herself, she started to walk in a crunched way. Painfully slow she took a step after step. The road would have been short perhaps under different conditions. She might have enjoyed the warmth of the sun, the sound of the birds and the slight wind.

However, today she barely recognized her surrounding. Her sole aim was to find a phone and call some help. At that time, she cursed her habit to not take her phone with her whilst being on the ride. She cursed removing regularly her credit cards from her purse and leave them at home so that in case of rubbery it would not be a big loss. Finally, she saw an internet shop. Her heart was beating faster and she moved faster towards it but the sudden pain bought tears into her eyes. Determined not to give up she bit her teeth and continued whilst her face was covered with sweat. So was her body. She finally reached the door and she her lips were curving upwards to a grin and froze in the midst. The hanging sign in front of the door with bright dark blue colours read “CLOSED”…[to be continued] 
 

The red car

Whilst a red car- I – was driving on a long long way I saw the same coloured car with the same module just in front of me. It was faith I thought. It felt like I had found my soul partner and just in front of me! 

So I started singing: We belong together

Out of nowhere my soul partner changed lanes and took over. Now felt a bit heartbroken and thought it is normal that two develop at different speeds. Through time our desires, interests, lifestyles and even thoughts change. So, I was motivated like never before to recover the distance but recognized that a white car had pushed itself in front of me so the song became

Red, white, red. Red, white, red. So close but so far it seems. 

Nevertheless, I could see the red car and determined to catch up I overtook obstacles to reach it. To shorten the distance to my soul partner. A white car would not stop me; especially it if it was to reach my one and only. But then a truck was between us. So the song continued

Red, white, truck, red. Red, white truck, red.

Not being able to see my red car did not change my desire to catch up and get at the same level. Through a long time I worked on myself and tried to match up with the red car. I made some risky moves and some less risky once. Throughout the process, I found myself and but was still driven by my “old desires”. There was something I had found, which was irreplaceable-peace with myself. Not being fully aware of the consequence of this found treasure I continued on my way. Surprisingly, somehow I managed to overtake the white car and soon afterwards the truck as well. My heart was pounding out of excitement. Soon it would be 

Red and red reunited again.

So, I overtook them with immense pleasure and excitement. I did not take notice that I had not been able to see for a long time the red car. It was not an important factor because I knew that we belonged together. I did not question why the red car had not paced itself to match my speed so that we could be together going through the same journey and develop ourselves. These were not important factors and I chose  to ignore it.

I finally reached the end or beginning and was in front of the white car and truck.There was no red car anymore… All my expectations, desires, hard work, which I had reflected on this one red car were vanished as if they had never existed. But I knew that they had existed. So I sang to myself

Mirror mirror on the road, show a reflection of myself. 

I used to be red car with a specific brand. However,  I was not anymore a red car but a red and white coloured one and in the mirror I did not see only myself…I saw another red and white next to me, who was driving since awhile next to me. Perhaps, the start of the journey was for both of us due to different reasons, perhaps the experiences we had made during our journeys were completely different and shaped us in different ways. However, we had been driving side by side for awhile and appreciating ourselves existence but had never laid eyes as we did now. So, we continued driving side by side but this time fully acknowledging our presence and we song united: 

Side by side we drive along. Side by side we experience together.

“It’s not time that changes man nor knowledge the only thing that can change someone’s mind is love.”

One ordinary day

There was this movie about the ability of the men within this family to go back in time.

It was passed at a certain age to the male however if he should have ever two children then the ability would be lost.

So, you can imagine the situations, which benefit from such kind of ability. 

At one scene he went to a blind dinner. You know where they bring you to a complete dark room and you are not able to see what you are eating and the people with whom you are sharing the dinner. In this way you have to rely on your other senses such as tasting and hearing.

At this event he met his dream girl but missed the chance due to different circumstances to be her boyfriend. He re-winded it many times until the scenery was that he was with her together. 

Also different conversations, events like a car crash could be avoided through this ability.

At some point his dad, an experienced time traveler, gave him an advice.

Is anyone else a big fan of these conversations between the wise person and the beginner? In this case father and son.

The father gave him the advice: “Live one day without using your ability. Just live one ordinary life.”

So, the next day the son experienced for the first time since he had had his gift a normal day. The situations he would usually have improved through his ability staid the same.

At Starbucks the coffee was spilled on him, it started raining and he had forgotten his umbrella. He rushed from one place to another. At work he had to go through the day without re-winding it. He came back miserable and tired back home.

His dad asked him: ” How was your day?“. He answered “Miserable.” His dad responded: ” Tomorrow I want you to repeat the same day, today, and this time go through it consciously.”

He did as he was told re-did the same day without using his abilities. However, this time he woke up earlier, recognised and responded friendly to the cashier’s joke at Starbucks, helped out a collegou at work and recognised at the evening whilst looking up the beautiful colours of the sky.

It was a different day but also the same day.

The only important factor was that he lived the day with a different attitude and went through it consciously rather than taking small events and gestures as granted or not even recognising it.

Small gestures are not small. They speak volumes for the once who choose to hear them.

The hidden issue

The other day I was driving on the motorway and there was a long queue building up behind a enermous big truck. 

Now this one was so long and heavy that nobody wondered that it was moving so slowly and creating traffic.

Nonetheless, the atmosphere of the followers was not the best as you can imagine. Many honks and curses were heard and could be imagined. Since I was in no rush I was relaxed but decided at some point to overtake the truck. The undertaking started at the rear end and lasted for a long period at the middle part. I remember thinking that no wonder that he was struggling to build up a proper speed. Finally, I reached the front and to my total surprise there was a tiny car in front of this gigantic truck. Due to the size difference the car looked like a toy car. So, the cause of this was not the huge truck, which seemed at first glance the issue but in front of it was a small car, which too many had not seen and ignored. 

It might not be the easiest to recognize or acknowledge matters, which cannot be seen clearly at first glance. We make assumptions based on our perceptions, we make assumptions to keep us in a comfortable place. Situations we take as granted and do not want to look into deeply will remain as they. What is there to lose when we try to change it? What is there to gain from it?

Do we want to change it and hear the bitter truth but perhaps an explanatiory truth, which will put a new light on settled patterns? Do we want to continue our life’s with accepting the situation as we perceive it or do we want to see things clearly?

Experience

“I got more experience than you because I am older”, “I have lived longer and therefore have gained more life experience than you”.

Is it true though?

2 cars; one is 3 years old and the other one is 10 years old. They are both Mercedes.

The older car turns to the younger one and says “You need to follow my advice since I know much more than you.” 

However, the older car has been parked safely every evening in the same garage with the same portlier greeting him. His owner has remained the same. The person, who is doing his scheduled maintenance is known, he knows where to get the spare parts. The kilometer stand quite low since he and his owner did not like to experience much outside of their comfort zone. However, on Sundays he usually took a longer ride than usual but still within the parameters of known territory. Surrounded by familiars and familiarity.

The other one a so called “green horn” not as long on the roads as the older one, however way more experienced than the looks gave away. No settled garage yet, usually parking in the spots, which are available. He had to search many times for new destinations and has seen amazing places, which his owner and himself could not pronounce. Does it matter though? The owner not as experienced either; both had been searching for spare parts the other day. It had done double the kilometers of the old one and enjoyed testing new things out.

So, the old car had repeated a couple of times that he was the more experienced one, the more successful one.

The younger one with the temperament of his age answered back “It is quite easy to achieve the success you are talking about when staying within the comfort zone, with people and things, which always support you! The kind of ” success” I am looking for is not known to you but hopefully you will have one day as well the chance to experience it.”

The new car went on its way with the eager owner to see many more places and if settled one day to reminish on the memories. 

The old one looked puzzled at the rear end of the car and murmured to himself “I am the older one though” and returned back to his familiar garage.

The rabbit and the tiger

Once upon a time there was a rabbit and a tiger, who were travelling together. They went from mountain to mountain, from city to city and from country to country.

“What an odd combination we are” thought the rabbit. “A tiger and a rabbit travelling together? Where have you heard ever of something like this?”.

Both encountered many people from different backgrounds and experienced adventures they would speak years after about.

Their bond became stronger with every step they took in their journey. Their trust in each was unbreakable. Something special had formed between them. 

One day the rabbit finally decided to speak up and turned to the tiger, who was thoughtfully gazing at the fire whilst lying down.

“Tiger” it said. “I have something to ask you. Why have you chosen to travel with me, a rabbit, whereas you could have travelled with any other tiger you would have liked?”

The tiger gracefully stood up. Both were unaware of their beautiful surrounding; in the midst of the mountain with a fire to keep them warm enough, the stars on the sky giving them enough light to see more than shadows of each other.

“Well” speaking with a gentle tone, which could not hide the trust and caringness  the tiger felt for his companion, “are you not the only one, who sees herself as a rabbit?”

Humans

We are humans.

Everyone reading this is a human being despite their exterior, beliefs and characteristics.

We eventually end up in the same place disregarding of any favourable or unfavourable treatment we have received during our life.

The person to your left has a mother and father and the person to your right has a mother and a father. These persons have people who care for them with the same feelings as other people have towards you.

You are no different than the person next to you. The person next to you is no different than you.

Your life should be as much worth as the persons you are walking, commuting, working and living with on this earth.

If you start to follow the mass then you are a dead fish. Why? Because only dead fish swim with the mass.

Have we not learnt from our history what happens if we follow someone directly or indirectly influencing is/ telling us what we should do and we all do it without having any doubt about it?

How many times have you read in the history books and heard from your grandparents about the past? Ah it was the past; therefore it does not count anymore. It CAN’T happen nowadays.

God gave us a great gift-OUR BRAIN! Don’t ignore this gift – USE IT!

It is a muscle, which needs to be trained.

Without training it, you will be eaten like the rest of the dead fishes.