as I was walking in the mountain late last night, in 25 degrees, I had a few conversations with myself. life doesn't always feel so easy. I must admit that lately things have been a little up in the air, chaotic, challenging - beyond fun...
I often feel life has too many options, too many choices that have to be made. not little nice choices like between raspberry sorbet or chocolate ice cream (I would pick both anyway..), but grander choices, more existential decisions. well, it should be mentioned that I am one of those people who create a lot of options for myself. I try to see that as a good personal quality, that I see opportunities and get inspired, but sometimes it is just exhausting. however - I can make my own choices. and the choices are almost solely between goods. between privileges.
so yes, on the other hand, life is quite easy. I am born right in the middle of a successful social democracy - a country built by determined socialists, farmers, strong mothers and dynamic, healthy politics (and a little dash of oil..). lets be realistic. the decisions I have to take in my life, are luxury ones. there is a reason for why norway is on the top of the UN human development index list. norway is said to be the best country in the world to live in. and that is without any doubt true to the bone. dilemmas whether I am going to study this or that, whether I am living here or there becomes so small, so insignificant, compared to what the majority of my fellow human beings on the soil of this earth are faced with every day... the ignorance of some of the people in norway sometimes makes me so mad that I just want to scream, like a 17 year old leader of a radical left organization at some illegal get-together; I wanna shake these complaining spoiled welfare-brats upside down, make them shut up with their whining and the constant displeasure!! for many people in the worlds best country nothing is good enough. yes, one should always aim for better things and for improvement, but more importantly one must always consider things in its own context. and to me, that context is not how "terrible" this fantastic country is, but rather how lucky we are. appreciation? anyone?
last night all these feelings piled up in my head - and in my heart(even tho ron in harry potter does not believe that one person can have so much on ones mind, cause then it would pop, hahaha). I put my shorts and running shoes on, and with my little mp3-player plugged in my ears (well the head phones that is) I headed up towards the forest, away from all the noise and stimuli we are facing every day. after living in cape town, with the constant sleeping threat of being mugged, walking in the forest alone here at home is some of the things I appreciate most in my life. I walked fast and long. up-up-up, on small grassy paths, jumping from rock to rock to avoid the mud, climbing towards the sky as it was turning from baby pink to baby blue. then it hit me, as I walked into a dark path with tall trees around me;
the only scary thing I could think of, as I walked on the soft moss, listening to the forest (my music shut off now), was trolls and ghosts..!
my good friend thor once said to me when I was feeling weak; strength comes from will. and I know you have a lot of will. that is the most beautiful and wise thing someone has ever said to me. and think of all the people in the world, who really have a challenging day in one way or a completely other way - they most definately have a lot of will. they need it to survive. and from that comes incredible strength. let us not forget what a grand life we live. let us not forget about the endless opportunities we have. how damn lucky we are. let us stop whining! and let us not forget to give each other strength, also to the ones who need it the most. and most importantly - let us never forget the bravery of those who really have troubles and suffering in their lives... and let that thought spread colour onto the plates of our reality, and let the bigger context become a part of our structure of thinking...
I often feel life has too many options, too many choices that have to be made. not little nice choices like between raspberry sorbet or chocolate ice cream (I would pick both anyway..), but grander choices, more existential decisions. well, it should be mentioned that I am one of those people who create a lot of options for myself. I try to see that as a good personal quality, that I see opportunities and get inspired, but sometimes it is just exhausting. however - I can make my own choices. and the choices are almost solely between goods. between privileges.
so yes, on the other hand, life is quite easy. I am born right in the middle of a successful social democracy - a country built by determined socialists, farmers, strong mothers and dynamic, healthy politics (and a little dash of oil..). lets be realistic. the decisions I have to take in my life, are luxury ones. there is a reason for why norway is on the top of the UN human development index list. norway is said to be the best country in the world to live in. and that is without any doubt true to the bone. dilemmas whether I am going to study this or that, whether I am living here or there becomes so small, so insignificant, compared to what the majority of my fellow human beings on the soil of this earth are faced with every day... the ignorance of some of the people in norway sometimes makes me so mad that I just want to scream, like a 17 year old leader of a radical left organization at some illegal get-together; I wanna shake these complaining spoiled welfare-brats upside down, make them shut up with their whining and the constant displeasure!! for many people in the worlds best country nothing is good enough. yes, one should always aim for better things and for improvement, but more importantly one must always consider things in its own context. and to me, that context is not how "terrible" this fantastic country is, but rather how lucky we are. appreciation? anyone?
last night all these feelings piled up in my head - and in my heart(even tho ron in harry potter does not believe that one person can have so much on ones mind, cause then it would pop, hahaha). I put my shorts and running shoes on, and with my little mp3-player plugged in my ears (well the head phones that is) I headed up towards the forest, away from all the noise and stimuli we are facing every day. after living in cape town, with the constant sleeping threat of being mugged, walking in the forest alone here at home is some of the things I appreciate most in my life. I walked fast and long. up-up-up, on small grassy paths, jumping from rock to rock to avoid the mud, climbing towards the sky as it was turning from baby pink to baby blue. then it hit me, as I walked into a dark path with tall trees around me;
here I, a young woman, can walk in the forest alone, at 22:30 pm in my shorts. I am completely free. I dont have to wear no hijab or cover my shoulders and knees. thank the angels I don't have to wear no burka. yes, that definately means freedom to me. there is no crime to speak of. I have never experienced war. there has never been any oppression in my life. I have two lovely families and wonderful friends. even tho I don't own many things (relatively..) my bed is so big it can fit 4 people in it (yes we tried that in skrenten on sunday mornings, hehe). I can choose between most of the education I could ever want, and to support that I get student loans from the state to follow my dreams. I have more or less free health care, and it is some of the best health care in the world. I can move freely. I can date whoever I want, read whatever I want, mean whatever I want.
the only scary thing I could think of, as I walked on the soft moss, listening to the forest (my music shut off now), was trolls and ghosts..!
my good friend thor once said to me when I was feeling weak; strength comes from will. and I know you have a lot of will. that is the most beautiful and wise thing someone has ever said to me. and think of all the people in the world, who really have a challenging day in one way or a completely other way - they most definately have a lot of will. they need it to survive. and from that comes incredible strength. let us not forget what a grand life we live. let us not forget about the endless opportunities we have. how damn lucky we are. let us stop whining! and let us not forget to give each other strength, also to the ones who need it the most. and most importantly - let us never forget the bravery of those who really have troubles and suffering in their lives... and let that thought spread colour onto the plates of our reality, and let the bigger context become a part of our structure of thinking...
5 comments:
Stoilt a de, Beibi!! Love You to death!! *Kyzz* -Hilde-
Må berre legge igjen en liten kommentar... Du skrive så bra innlegg!!! Blir heilt fascinert...
Skulle ønske det va fleire folk som tenkte sånn som dej, Camilla! Stå på!
Ai ja. Truer words were never spoken...
Norway spoilt? Probably not....fortunate and blessed? Definately. I think Norge is the yardstick for how everyone else should live. Its what every country in the world should be striving for. Note its far from the most powerful country in the world though. The obsession with power and might is clearly shown up when one looks at Norge.But from all this human security and social equality you get moral strength and power, amongst your people and moral authority in the world. Americans like to think that they are the moral lighthouse of the world. Far from it. Many parts of the States are unsafe and just as scary and more than South Africa. So its not oil, huge militaries and power that makes you safe. Its the absence of a gap called the "haves and the have nots". Now if only my words could have the prose of my kjaeste...
Justin
thanks all of you for your feedback :) it really makes it worth while!
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