“simplicity is sexy” – a way of seeing things

I have turned 30 years on October 12, 2012.

Initially I thought of spending this special day, who is at the end also just another day in our everyone’s life and lifecycles in Ho Chin Minh City. Away from the big Vientiane crowd but still around people I know, I thought that would be the best way to break out and have something different from that special non-special day in my life. Plans changed and after all, it was not decided by myself, but simply by the company I am working for, how may day will look like.

Celebrations started with a party for the “German National Day” on Oct 11, including Sauerkraut, boring speeches, real good cold German wheat beer, dancing and good laughs until after midnight. With a headache and as birthday child I had delivered a cheese egg bagel to the company trip departure place at 8am on October 12 in the morning. The beer did not wait for long and with music the Sunlabob Party Bus started crossing Vientiane and moving out of town to the biggest water reservoir of the country: Beautiful Nam Ngum

The day went by fast. I had a lot of fun driving on the jetski on the lake, be thrown off and throwing off, have the wind in the hair while flying with 80km/h above the water. Have a wakeboard under my feet and trying to challenge the limits of my muscles. Towards the end of the day –sitting on an air tube in the water, watching the sunset and have a chat. Later in the evening, having a bottle of Champaign with my closest friends, have a laugh and a good night sleep. It is a birthday I will remember, less for the fact that it was the Oct 12, 2012, which as such is also a special date looking at the numbers, but just as a good and cheerful day.
More and more I realize or I am made of the value of keeping, seeing, doing things in a simple and moderate way. Probably it is the country and the people of Laos, where one is inevitably reminded that not much is needed to find self-satisfaction and contentment. Always striving for more, being caught in the starting point of loosing the enjoyment of little things by setting more values on materialistic things – has not reached certain parts of the country. Does not mean there is no jealousy, no injustice or that everything is perfect, but it is a form of “plainness”, which is good to see and be reminded off. I feel like my life has become much simpler, I have become more casual and less stressed out or serious about things. I am still a person which is quite opinionated, sometimes too judgmental, but I have learnt more to see things from different angles – making me softer. I know who I am, what matters and this current environment gives me the freedom to be that and further evolve. I am very happy having reached that point, which is of course subject of further development – it is by far a moment of time where things become static, I would say it is a step of self-recognition which is going to evolve in something different. I am happy having reached this level with 30 years. Surely, others are getting there much earlier in their lives, some much later or not at all. It follows every individuals own rhythm of life.

This state of being, I feel I have become attractive to myself, driven by contentment of what I do, how I approach things, how I resolve things and how I decide to live my life. It allows a great amount of self-love, which is a wonderful feeling and the basis to be able to give something to others in form of thoughts, ideas, positiveness and passion.

Here a little birthday gift I got, which just connects to the thoughts above:

Auf leisen Sohlen gehen
Nicht stehen bleiben
Nicht zu hoch hinaus
Ziele sehen
Die Welt im Kleinen
Macht das Leben aus.

(M.Minder)

I would also take this opportunity to thank my parents for the gift of life they have given me. My Mama and Papi are the source of my being in a first place and then of course largely influenced and defined of who I have become and who I am today. I don't think there are enough words of gratitude and respect I have for you and please apologies my lack of words and incapability to express the love I have for you.