Life is a Journey: Live it (Part 124)

The other autobiography
Tobias Wittmann asked outright: “Please, tell us...how do you handle criticism?“

I repeated: “How I handle...opposition?“

„Yes,“ said Tobis Wittmann, watching the other´s reaction. „How do you handle criticism. After all, as you said, you have read 3,5 Mio. times on all platforms, your books and your articles. I imagine not all readers will like what you write.“

„Very good point,“ was my answer, knowing the night would see the morning sun. „People ask me to hang myself, jump into the Rhine River, commit suicide like my sister Heidi Jürgensen did or wish and pray I would die in Africa. They call me Nazi, Racist, idiot, bastard, and are ashamed of me to be their uncle, like Sven-Ole Brandt once wrote, son of Heidi Jürgensen, steal my emails out of hate against me, steal money from me and threaten my life like it was in Ghana...and so much more.“ I took a minute to pause and observe my students' reactions. They only stared at me. „Jealousy and hate are two of the basic issues in life. Most murder cases are based on them. That is human nature...I guess.

I read those comments...of course I do. In between the lines, I can hear them whisper if you use my tactic directed against you against me...gosh, how much I will be affected and fall into depression. I can hit you...but do not dare to hit me back. I could not stand it... they hated me back. Oh, please...do not do it to me! For days, if not weeks, it would bother me, and I would get headaches for days, hearing these words of hate in my soul. That is what I hear between these lines of hate against me. Honestly speaking....“

„Yes, please be honest with us,“ mentioned Susanne Föhlich, excitedly moving her body from left to right while sitting dangerously close to the fire.

„Honestly speaking...I enjoy it. This hatred exposes the weak character of people. Mostly, you cannot be scared of them, as in the end, the threats are only words that never materialise. For me, they are like bubble gum bubbles that die in midair. I guess I have seen it all. I went from hell to the moon and back. Nothing in this world can shock or disturb my peace anymore...I guess. Look, when you are trained from early on in life that humans behave in the most bizarre forms...and the most astonishing things happen to you which do not seem normal...which do not seem to make sense...you either die, get depressed and commit suicide, or you learn to take things easy and relaxed. The privilege of age is when you have seen it all in life, from heaven to hell...you take things easy and with a smile. When you have never known hell, only heaven, or mostly heaven...you are not really blessed, as you know not much of this world. When you have seen all corners of life, then we can talk on the same level. Most people avoid the corners of darkness and pain. I never did that. Not because I did not have the choice to avoid sorrows, but my life`s motto was and is always that I want to live life to the fullest and see happiness, pain and joy. When you are ready to pass through the valley of the shadow many times and embrace the sunlight of the better and best days of your life...on your deathbed, you can tell God that you have seen the world and everything he had created and prepared for us.

Let us all remember the life of Adolf Merckle, born in Blaubeuren, founder of Ratiopharm and other companies. He was a Billionaire by all means...not an African Billionaire, but a real one. When Ratiopharm was in financial turmoil, while his other businesses still moved on strongly, he was not able to cope with the situation. His fortune was built on a lucky path, with no real challenges on the way. From level to level did Adolf Merckle climb the stairways to financial prosperity. For the first time, he was tested when Ratiopharm had a negative cash flow and faced serious financial problems. By that time...just imagine...he was in his early eighties. What was his decision? He decided to go to the nearest railway track, lie down to be run over by a train.“ I waited for a few moments to see my students' reactions. They kept quiet, not showing any signs of concern.

Before continuing with my stories, I looked up to the night sky. It was a clear sky, no clouds to be seen from anywhere. „When I lived in Sülldorfer and had problems, serious questions with God, when I was down and confused, I stepped out of the house, crossed the street and the park right in front of the house, seeing Blankenese Golf Course to my right, to stand before a magnificent white Villa behind a metal fence. It was the house of Mr Krüll. He and his wife built a car dealership empire selling new cars from Jaguar, Volvo and Ford. The family was well known in the Hamburg society. Both were humble and hard-working people, a greatly loved couple. They never pushed themselves into the spotlight, but rather kept a very private life to themselves. Eventually, the wife died of cancer, leaving her husband behind. One day, Mr Krüll did not appear at work in his office. Phone calls were not answered. His son went to the villa and called on his father. As he did not find him on the ground floor, he went up to the first floor, where he also did not find his father. Finally, he looked into the attic above, where he found his father dead. He had hung himself. Imagine a man who had so much fortune yet was unable to live without his wife, with whom he had built his car dealership empire. Without her life, his was meaningless in the middle of his wealth and fame. It teaches me always...after so many years...money is a means, not a meaning. Your life is meaningful, and you must ensure it is meaningful. That you use your time on earth to be relevant and make an impact as long as you can. When it is over...it is over. Time flies and does not wait until you are ready. To use time wisely is your responsibility.

Whenever I had trouble, I stood before that villa and prayed to God, after which I felt much, much better. Today I still think of Mister Krüll and keep him in my prayers for a better life with God. I wish we all could stand before such a life and remember what life is all about.“

   Comments0