I love humans. I really do think they are rather amusing. But why so serious? Why so fearful of the unknown? Always complaining about being deprived, while deeply unaware they’re sitting on an enormous treasure chest. Being utmost beautiful, while screaming at their mirror, pointing out unnoticeable shortcomings.

What do you know, you might ask. Yes, what do I actually know, not being from here.

But you see, I live here. 40+ years I’ve been curiously interacting, more often observing, this strange earthly behaviour. There are so many questions arising in my chest. I seem to have lost the answers. Could I please ask you to help me find them?

The other day I heard this intelligent and attractive woman complaining. It seemed that everything was wrong in her life, and she kept on blaming herself for every decision she’d made. Another man was yelling at his children to hurry up, they had somewhere important they had to be. – What is more important than where you are right now, I thought. And then there were this couple. They were having dinner at this trendy restaurant (Instagram friendly, I heard the woman whisper to the man when they came in). They kept on taking pictures of their food (I stopped counting after 20 pictures). The food was cold and they started making a fuss about it. The waiter came, helpless. During their dinner the couple hardly made any eye contact. Nose in their phones.

One thing that keeps surprising me is all this focus on either the future or the past. Or this waiting for the perfect time. I lost count on how many times I’ve heard ”I will do it when…” – When? When exactly will you do it? I ask. No answer.

And then they start to come – the ”I should haves”. Usually these regrets are filled with words such as: It’s my mother’s fault I’m this way. If my kindergarten teacher would not have laughed at my drawing that time I was 5 I would be a famous artist by now. My girlfriend cheated on me. My boss is toxic. The weather is miserable.

No, it’s not the weather that is miserable. It’s your thoughts about the weather that are miserable, I silently shout. No one notices.

I am not from here, but I love it here.

I hope you see how absolutely gorgeous you are. I hope you comfort your children and tell them how enough they are. I hope you tell your partner how much you appreciate them. I hope you quit your job, cause there is one more aligned waiting for you. I hope you call her. I hope you visit that new café in town. I hope you write that letter. Attend that audition. Speak up. Dress up.

I am not from here, but I do, I really do.
Love it here.
I hope you too.