My wish for you for the year 2016

When 2016 emerges, I wish that:

• You will be able to care for people who stand close to you and for the ones who don’t stand so close to you;
• You will be able to place yourself in the minds of fugitives: people who fled war, chaos, grief and despair, in exchange for a better life in our wealthy and mostly happily living Europe. Be gentle and understanding for them and do not curse and hate them for what they did last year or for what they plan to do; 
• Religion will never be a reason for you to hate people who think, act or live differently than you do;
• Politics will never be a reason for you to hate people who think, act or live differently than you do;
• Money and success will never be a reason for you to look down at people who think, act or live differently than you do;
• You will understand that closed borders and large fences around your country will not solve anything politically and are only a way of assuming the ostrich position;
• The European politicians finally understand that we’re in it together and that we will not make it on our own, by closing our borders and our hearts for our fellow Europeans and fellow humans all over the world;
• People understand that the pleasure of extreme remuneration and the distinction based upon being a millionaire is much more shortlived and futile, than having fun in your work and private life, whatever you do;
• The thick layered fog of doom and gloom will be lifted from the European Union and from its citizens;
• People understand that a crisis like the one that we are in, is a necessary cleansing process in order to reset the people and the economy. While it is a harsh and tough process, it is unfortunately indispensable for people to find out what they should really care for in life;
• People understand that for feeling better you have to take away all the negative emotions that make you feel bad: not by shopping and spending yourself out of misery, but by simply seeing the beautiful things in life, which are mostly for free;
• The Dutch and British citizens understand that their welfare state will not be ruined and that their cities will not be blown up by fugitives;
• The East-Europeans will understand that the European Union is not a Soviet Union in disguise and will stop to treat it with distrust and hostility;
• The people who spread discord and hate against other people will finally see that what they do is wrong;
• The people who do not dare to stand up against people, that spread discord and hate, will finally see that what they do is just as wrong;
• The current and future Dutch leaders realize that credit and credibility are descendants of the same Latin word ‘Credere’, which means “believing”. Winning a credibility-based debate, due to the fact that your coalition partner does not dare to drop your cabinet out of self-interest, does not mean that you are credible. The people in the country know better alas;
• The current and future European leaders understand that politicians will be respected for what they say, do and believe in and not for the way in which they arrange a nice job for themselves and their friends;
• The current and future European leaders understand that the European Union can be either a house of reinforced concrete or a house of cards. What it is lies mainly in their own hands;
• The current and future American leaders see that mindless talk, boundless aggression, worshipping of gun ownership and religious infatuation will rather weaken the American position in the world, than reinforce it;
• The current and future(!)  Russian leader will see that mindless talk, boundless agression, worshipping of power and political/societal infatuation will rather weaken the Russian position in the world, than reinforce it;
• All the Middle-Eastern, African and Asian leaders will understand that ‘Divide and Conquer’ is a game with only losers in the end;
• You will be able to see the beauty of our precious, fragile planet and all the creatures living on it;
• It will be a good year for you, my dear reader, and for your loved ones, in prosperity, health, love and happiness;
  
  Happy New Year!!!