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Short version:

Enjoy life!

Be honest!

Give love!

Long version:

I initially started this web site to avoid sending pictures via e-mail because the number of my friends I wanted to share my pictures with got bigger and bigger.

Now it is time to bring this site to the next level. Most of my family and friends are overseas or across the country, or just don't see me that often. On this page I want to share some thoughts with those of you who don't see me on a regular basis. Over the past years I learned a lot, and I would like to share that. We are all teachers and students, and the more we can learn and teach, the sooner this world will become a peaceful one.

"Be honest"
Be honest to people around you and most importantly to yourself. I know from my past how easy it is to be dishonest with yourself. Listen to your inner voice even though it might not always be the simplest path it suggests. It will be worth it.
If you are dishonest to people around you, it makes your life more complicated than it has to be, and it makes you vulnerable. If you don't have anything to hide, how can people hurt you? If they still try, you laugh, and you are just sorry for them, because you know it better. 

"Be responsible"
If you only know me from this site, you might think that all I do is party. Well, not that I don't party a lot, but there is more to my life. I take my work very seriously. When the alarm clock rings on Monday morning, and you don't feel fit enough to go to work, then - my friend - you are partying too much. Nobody can tell you what to do. You are the only one who is responsible for you life. Listen to your body. Be responsible.  

"Enjoy life"
It is incredible how we members of western societies and religions managed to complicate our life unnecessarily. Drama, problems, lies, guilt, ……WHY? These are unpleasant things and situations. If you can change them, change them. If not, embrace them. I am sure you will learn something from them. If nothing else, you can learn how to live with them. Just don't suffer and stress. Happiness is in us. An old lady said to me once. "I wish you good health, because it is the most important thing in life". I remember saying. "Wish me happiness. Health, we cannot always choose, but happiness we can, and nobody can take it away from us."  I know that it is not fun to be sick, but sometimes it just happens, and we have to deal with it whether we want to or not. Anyways, I am drifting off. There is always a reason to enjoy life. Having heard what other people had to suffer with, most of us have absolutely no reason to complain. Unfortunately a lot of people have to go through really hard and painful periods of their life to figure that out. I was lucky that thanks to great teachers, I did not have to experience much pain myself. Still, it was the most uncomfortable times in life that taught me most. 

"Give love"
For some reason we are more obsessed with the fact that we need rather than giving it. We are longing to be loved. Giving love is much more important. You cannot only give love to your partner, but to others too. Don't expect anything back, and believe me, you will get it back. What does giving love mean? Respect one another. Listen to one another. Want others to be happy. Sometimes more is expected than you can give, but give what you can give, and hopefully the other person will respect that.

"Mens sana in corpore sano"
"A healthy spirit in a healthy body" - Take care of your body. Treat it like a car, the vehicle for your soul. It needs gas, oil, and regular service. Wouldn't we all rather drive a nice sports car than an old Saturn? (haha) I am the living proof that you change your vehicle into a sporty one. Just look at the section 'A blast from the past' and compare. Have it checked out regularly by professionals, and if something is not working properly, have it fixed, and don't stress or panic about it. Insiders know what I am talking about. Some things cannot be fixed, so you have to drive on with some cosmetic faults. Your friends will still like you.

I could go on, but it is enough for now.

Your feedback is highly appreciated.

Love

Richard