Success is such a sacred word in our Western world that it is rarely questioned. As long as you can measure something and compare it with others it is a potential success. Consequently, the Westerners have neglected things that cannot be measured: love, trust, health, honesty. A man is successful, if he makes a lot of money. If, on the other hand, his colleague at work makes less money but is a lot nicer to his wife, this other colleague is not successful. Kindness is not only hard to measure, it is also a private thing. And in order to show success one has to concentrate on public things like money...

To be or not to be – It is a rare dilemma to see. The question of life is how? To burn in the here and now? Or to smoulder in fear of tomorrow? When I was really young I used to think I could work all the time. Resting was optional. Until at the age of 22 bipolar disorder with psychotic traits broke out. First I had a raging mania and then I was lying in bed all the time. I experienced two extremes that were both very difficult to bear. Ever since I have been trying to balance the extremes in order to have a more normal life. So I do burn, but just a little and then I continue the safe smouldering....