You are free!
Gisbert zu Knyphausen says: You can go wherever you want – yet you remain! Don’t you have any dreams? Aren’t you unhappy with yourself and the world once again almost every day? No lame excuses please. We do both know the simple truth that you can really always go wherever you want to. It’s all just a question of price. How much are you willing to sacrifice for the prophetic star they call freedom? What’s keeping you trapped in your single-lane life?
The other day I got stuck once again. In a small town between nothing and at all in Laos. No ATM in the entire town would spit out cash. No money for gas meant I’m stuck. No money for eating and sleeping however meant difficulties. Once again the Universe was gracious to me and sent me a tour guide who first wanted to buy my motorbike for a ridiculous price but then incidentally remarked that he’d love to learn German. So it came that I gave him and his friend a few days of lessons for a few dimes for bread and bed.
Now I could have left town at this point. Who needs money? Give up my motorbike for a few Kip, stick out the thumb and stand at the side of the road. But I really had no reason to. I wanted to take my chance to get an impression of everyday life in a Lao small town. For once live my life in Lao rhythm with Lao finances. Moreover Sa Lor, the tour guide, had become dear to my heart, and I was attached to Betsy as well. More than enough good reasons. On the other hand, moving on held little promise.
In a moment the whole situation tipped over. Sa Lor suddenly had no time for lessons. Thus my minijob was over. On the other hand I could surprisingly pull money out of the wall again. So everything was back to normal. Just move on. Or not? Although none of the original reasons for staying existed anymore, I simply couldn’t get used to the thought of moving on. The everyday life I had wished for was keeping me trapped by now. I feared I would miss Sa Lor, the market, or the begging kids that I shared my daily fruits with. What I needed was a kick. A little help that should arrive in the form of a new friend whom I eventually moved on and experienced great adentures with.
So even within one week everyday life can lead to cowardice and lethargy. How is that with you? How long have you been stuck in your daily grind? When was the last time you thought about what brought you into your present situation and what became of those reasons? Most people’s reason for remaining in their position is safety. Dangerous, because safety makes you stupid. Safety is nothing but an obstacle to broadening your horizon. A dangerous conglomerate of cowardice and lethargy that is self-conserving.
Think about it: What happens when you burn down your house, leave everything behind, and start a new life on the other side of the world? Right: Nothing! I do not recommend to anybody burning the bridges behind yourself, yet you should remember one thing: You have built a life out of nothing before. The only difference is that last time you didn’t have the wealth of experience that is at your daily disposal now. You can do this better and maybe this time you won’t end up in a blind alley.
The second main reason why people get stuck is fear. Mainly fear of being wrong. Imagine you leave everything behind and then you realize it was a mistake. Embarrasing, isn’t it? Only for idiots. For everybody else it’s necessary now and then. People strive for happiness. And they are curious. That is their nature. No need to be ashamed of that. Least of all before yourself. Shame is just an excuse. But why are you reading this when Christian Zuebert has filmed it in his masterpiece Lammbock already? The first inspiring, philosophical five minutes of this video will now escort you back smoothly into the real world. Enjoy the I-am-never-content-man. May he inspire you to find satisfaction.
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