Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Often I have been thinking this, and once when I still kept a diary, I even wrote these words. The credo always came to mind whenever I am unsatisfied with the situation I find myself in, and I feel a need for change. Regardless whether I feel I am in the need of a better condition, I want a new job, orI want to move or to loose weight: this credo always is an inner order for action.
And still, I frequently dream of how things in life could be better. In bad periods I occupy my mind with such pointless thoughts. Sometimes I start to plan actions, write down new years resolutions and share my intentions widely with friends. All these preparations are necessary to ensure that I truly realise the dream I have. But friends now that intentions often remain intentions. In better periods I tend to forget the dreams I have, and I realise that I like what I'm doing.
"Action speaks louder than words," as Mark Twain wrote, seems rationally a more attractive credo. It is strange but true: most good things in my life occur rather just because they happen, not because they are long time desired or even planned. But these things eventually often are the result of who you really are. Which often makes me wonder: are you the result of what you do, or are you the result of what you want to do.
26.6.08
22.6.08
Double loyalty
Well Mr. Hiddink, I think it's time for you to hand in your Dutch passport. After the victory of 'your' Russian team last night, it now is time to show where your loyalty stays....with Russia or with your home country!
Strange, I haven't heard anyone saying this. And this whereas not so long ago the debate on whether immigrants should be loyal to one country only dominated the political debate for a long time. Many politicians said that immigrants should hand in the passport of their home country, if they wanted to stay in the Netherlands.
Apparently such policy would not apply for emigrants. Would native Dutch people be able to share their loyalty? In case of Guus Hiddink (whom is the coach of the Russian national football team), this doesn't seem to be important.
To me this discussion is just a sign of a lack of self-confidence. If a government would need to demand loyalty from its citizens, then something is wrong with the country. What would be the next step after handing in your second passport? Would school children need to sing the national anthem in their classes each day? It all makes me think of non-democratic societies, where self-determination slowly becomes inferior to the needs of the nation. These nervous attempts seem to derive from an ignorance that young people increasingly feel that their identities are constructed from European or global symbols. And this development is not something of the past years, globalization simply has led to a redefinition of identities.
I haven't seen as much patriotism in the Netherlands as during the past weeks. During hopeless attempts to win the European Football championship many streets were coloured orange and red/white/blue, our national colours. Something seemed to unite citizens. Next to our national colours the Turkish national colour (red) is still very visible, as Turkey is still in the run to win the Championship. Maybe it makes some of our politicians happy that many Turks have two flags hanging out of their window: the Turkish flag and the Dutch flag. Now that is what I call shared loyalty!
So when I'll visit Istanbul next week and shall try to learn the Turkish anthem by heart, and sing for my fellow-citizens with the red flags!
Strange, I haven't heard anyone saying this. And this whereas not so long ago the debate on whether immigrants should be loyal to one country only dominated the political debate for a long time. Many politicians said that immigrants should hand in the passport of their home country, if they wanted to stay in the Netherlands.
Apparently such policy would not apply for emigrants. Would native Dutch people be able to share their loyalty? In case of Guus Hiddink (whom is the coach of the Russian national football team), this doesn't seem to be important.
To me this discussion is just a sign of a lack of self-confidence. If a government would need to demand loyalty from its citizens, then something is wrong with the country. What would be the next step after handing in your second passport? Would school children need to sing the national anthem in their classes each day? It all makes me think of non-democratic societies, where self-determination slowly becomes inferior to the needs of the nation. These nervous attempts seem to derive from an ignorance that young people increasingly feel that their identities are constructed from European or global symbols. And this development is not something of the past years, globalization simply has led to a redefinition of identities.
I haven't seen as much patriotism in the Netherlands as during the past weeks. During hopeless attempts to win the European Football championship many streets were coloured orange and red/white/blue, our national colours. Something seemed to unite citizens. Next to our national colours the Turkish national colour (red) is still very visible, as Turkey is still in the run to win the Championship. Maybe it makes some of our politicians happy that many Turks have two flags hanging out of their window: the Turkish flag and the Dutch flag. Now that is what I call shared loyalty!
So when I'll visit Istanbul next week and shall try to learn the Turkish anthem by heart, and sing for my fellow-citizens with the red flags!
17.6.08
Example
Recently I have been a faithless blogger! Today however Pieter's blog inspired me to catch up again. I guess that the last six months generally can be charactarized by saying that I exchanged IGLYO for more personal-quality-in-life. I've been trying hard to work less, which slowly is paying-of.
In the past months I visited New York twice, most recently last week. Even though these trips were for professional reason, I must confess my profound love for this city! The traffic, the smell, the people, the weather: everything made me love the city.
Well, following Pieter's good example I above share photo's from nice locations that I've visited recently. Top-down: Ibiza, Moscow, Tirana, Geneva, New York and Salzburg. In all those places I reunited with old friends or met new wonderful people, so truly all moments to cherish.
This weekend I visited Dennis in Strasbourg. Together with Juul and Kris we spent two wonderful days together. We ate delicious food and strawled through the silent streets of the city. As Juul and I both are allergic to cat we had the nice chance of camping in Dennis garden.
Abonneren op:
Posts (Atom)
