To friendship...

I believe that things happen for a reason, that we meet certain people for a reason...
People who inspire us (like my linguistics prof for instance), people who support us when times are tough, people with whom we share a bit of our path.
Some stay for good, others walk with us for a while...
Yet - whether they stay for good or just for a short while - they leave their traces in our hearts and they ultimately make our lives richer.
Sometimes, the reason why certain things happen, becomes evident only in retrospect, and so many things in my life make sense only in hindsight.
And there are so many people that I met just when I needed them.

One should always try to surround oneself with positive people...people who are worth your time and effort, people who give you a good feeling in your tummy.
I have worked hard on excluding "toxic" people from my life...you may not be able to choose your relatives, but you can most certainly pick your friends.
If someone continuously gives you a hard time, get RID of that person. If a so-called "friend" is never happy for you, then that person simply isn't your friend...friendship and envy exclude one another - it's that simple.

True friends can be an abundant source of joy and happiness in your life - and their trust is a genuine treasure that is bestowed on us for life.

Das Prinzip Hoffnung...

Geee...it's been ages since I posted for the last time...four full weeks...time flies, really!
I sometimes feel that I don't have all that much to say, but somehow I was intrigued by another blog post tonight...the blogger mentioned B. Obama, the current US president, and the feelings of hope and the "yes, we can" attitude that this president has instilled in her - and in many Americans.
What a difference one person can make...
Comparing the feelings that Obama seemingly instills in people with those that his predecessor instilled in people...Bush being the symbol of FEAR, Obama in contrast being the symbol of HOPE - one cannot help being amazed at the difference a single day can make...that day in November completely transformed the landscape of America and it successfully resurrected a major American quality...American optimism - the very quality that makes America unique, unrivaled...
The ability to stick to the principle of hope, even in the face of adversity, even though times are tough. This undaunted, boundless optimism has pushed America forward, beyond the boundaries of the known world, to the moon...too far at times.
The world could use a little of that "yes, we can" attitude, especially in times like these...this undying hope for a better tomorrow, the indelible conviction that the promised land is at your fingertips, the steadfast belief that the best is yet to come.
After almost a decade spent in fear, it is wonderful to (re-)discover a 'New America'...or rather the 'Old America'...

I wrote the following a while ago:
Ever since the Declaration of Independence, the United States of America have been a beacon of hope for generations of immigrants, for the oppressed, for those who yearn to be free, for millions in quest of a better life.Last night, America turned its back on an administration that has managed to corrupt the very essence of America, the values of a country that has never ceased to inspire the world - with its boundless optimism, its energy and its creativity.