Rediscovering My Core Values

When I ask myself what is really important in my daily life, I don’t have to think long. The answer comes immediately. It is my wife.

She is my backbone. My Rückgrat. She is not only my wife, she is my friend. I can talk to her about everything — really everything. That kind of relationship is not normal luck. It is something very special, and I know it.

In the past, my family was also very important to me. My mother. My father. They shaped me. Today they are no longer here. Not on earth anymore. Only in my thoughts, my memories, somewhere in my spirit. Sometimes routine plays tricks on you. I suddenly think, I should call my mother, and I even walk to the telephone. Then reality comes back. There is no one to call anymore. My mother-in-law also passed away, and my wife knows this feeling too. These moments stay with you. You don’t forget them — you just learn how to live with them.

Then there are my friends. My oldest friends. Close friends. One of them is in a wheelchair. That doesn’t change anything. He is still my friend. These people are important to me. Work is different. Work matters, yes — but it is a different category.

A good day for me starts very simply. I wake up and we drink our first coffee together. Coffee is very important — and no, I’m not joking. Then I walk with my wife outside to her car. We kiss. We say I love you. I tell her to drive carefully. She drives away, and I go back into the house.

Sometimes she has to work very early, at 5:15 in the morning. Even then, we take this moment. Coffee. A few words. A kiss. These small rituals hold the day together.

During the day we send WhatsApp messages. Not all the time — I am an old man. I check one or two times. But I love WhatsApp status. On my private phone I share holiday moments, little stories, photos. People tell me, It feels like we are travelling with you. That makes me happy.

A good day is also when I have good conversations with customers or distributors. When they listen. When they say, That’s a good idea. When they react positively to my suggestions. A really good day is no traffic problems in Germany. A fantastic day is coming home safely.

Right now, I feel calm because I know that in three weeks we will be on holiday in Gran Canaria. Just thinking about it makes me relaxed inside. This inner satisfaction — that is happiness.

Of course, there are things that make me angry. Bad ideas at work. People who act unfairly. Bad politicians. I don’t like it. But I learned something important: I don’t have to like reality — but I have to accept that it exists. I cannot change everything.

So I protect myself. I think about positive things. About my next holiday. About my wife coming home in the afternoon. About sitting together, drinking coffee, and talking about the day.

We plan our life in small points we can look forward to. One weekend a ship in the harbour in Bremerhaven with Grünkohl. Another weekend a Grünkohl hike with friends. Then a hotel in Hannover. Then the airport. Then Gran Canaria. If we have three months without plans, without friends, without moments to look forward to, that is a problem for us.

When we travel by ship, I prepare something special. Champagne in the cabin. Two glasses. A balcony cabin. We stand outside, drink champagne, look at the sea. I give her small gifts, love letters. Planning the holiday is already part of the joy. While the world argues, I plan happiness.

I met my wife at a festival. A disco at an old town celebration. First look. First kiss. And then love started.

Many people shaped my life. Some were good. Some were difficult. Mr. Jensen, during my apprenticeship, was not a good man. He behaved badly, sometimes cruelly. But he shaped my character. Even difficult people can teach you something.

For me, good people have a big heart. They are kind. You can trust them. You can rely on them. I once lost contact with a friend for ten years because of our wives. When his wife left him, we spoke again. We promised each other that no relationship would ever come between our friendship again.

I don’t want contact with extreme right people. Some people can change. If they don’t want to, I walk away. Life is too short for poison.

My parents taught me simple things. Tell the truth. Be honest. Respect other people. Keep your room clean. Learn to cook. Respect is the key.

When I think about younger generations, I worry a little. They should learn life without mobile phones. Go outside. Play. Talk face to face. Learn basic things at school. History matters. Language matters. That’s why I say Hansestadt Bremen. History gives value.

What makes me calm in all this chaos? My home. My wife. Friends around a table. A barbecue. Grünkohl. Laughter. Conversation. You must enjoy your work. If work makes you ill, you must change something.

Things I care less about today are constant bad news. I switch it off. Negativity drains energy. I protect mine.

And finally, food. Last weekend I cooked Chinese food for my wife. I love cooking for her. Because love also lives in the kitchen.

And very often — it starts with coffee. ☕