As humble as ever, I mostly thought that I myself was the one finding this blog amusing or inspiring. Since I get to decide the content, reading my old posts is for my very own pleasure; I do agree with most of what I’ve written and find some phrasings rather catchy. But oh oh oh! I shall try not to commit hubris now, but a few friends of mine just booked a fine three months away from Finnish winter to the paradise of Bali, with the comment that my blog actually inspired them to just do it! Easily touched as I am, I feel my heart warming and my eyes tearing. This is enough for me really, now every hour of writing seems like a small sacrifice for such rewarding feedback! I guess that if you have a look at the friends meaning the most to you, they are guaranteed rather similar to yourself on the general beliefs and values. But the differences, the small seemingly insignificant ones, are the ones keeping you together, bringing life and motion in the relationship. The lives my friends are having, economically, socially, politically, geographically, practically, are in broader strokes the same as mine, or we could have traded places with each other and it would not have had any impact on our friendships or social construction. BUT. The small differences in the way our neural synapses connect, really due to chance circumstances and not to conscious planning, are the ones that defines our selves. Our “I”s.

Your friends are maybe in most ways similar to you, you go to the same pubs, concerts, vote kinda similar, are based in the same income group, uses the same expressions and dress in a subtly like minded way. Though the way you choose, the reasons why you choose to tread certain paths are different, and when your friends make other choices than yourself, you find it interesting, you find it inspiring, it tickles your brain. If (s)he can, who is the same as I am, then I can! The way two of my best friends moved abroad the last year, the way my other two friends gave birth without becoming parental godzillas, the way another one took control of his physique, the way another one got his emotional life finally all together, and the way IT ALL TURNS OUT – their ways keep me on my way!

I read today in the news paper that Swedish CEO’s are on a ever growing payroll, some of them earn 150 times more than the workers of their companies. Some of these companies are the ones in economic disposition, discouraging their employees from pushing for pay raise, while they themselves are cashing out bonuses on top of their salaries. Reading the article, I almost went ahead and wrote an email to the top 5 CEO’s of the list, explaining my situation, my csn debt, the problem of having two waitress jobs during tourist low season, the hopes and dreams of travelling and the small amount of money I would require to do so. Really an insignificant sum. But, yeah, I didn’t write no such mail. Last week I also attended a seminar held by one of Swedens most famous financial pimps, Percy Barnevik. Even though he was all together sympathetic, funny, smart, concrete and actively working for sustainability in third world countries – the money he’s good for is a fantasy sum. After feeling frustrated over my situation, frustrated over their situation, frustrated over the worlds situation, I turned on a really great song and was soon unable to feel anything but happiness. Their world, the CEO’s and Barneviks world, of being born in a completly different context, with different aim and achievements, their world has rather little to do with my world. I can’t even be inspired from them, cause they live in such a completely different setting than I do. The manner in which they live their lives, their personal development and characteristics, it has no relevance to me, the things they’re preaching about. The achievements of my personal friends, however small they are in comparison, are the ones that inspires me, the brain tickling from next door.

I just realised I don’t strive to reach out or inspire everyone on this lonely planet, if I can reach those who already know me and accept me cause we are similar, that is my most heart warming reward. It’s the people who are like me who keeps tickling my brains and activates me to do what they have just done. And if I can tickle anyone of them to move forward, my purpose is done here.