Life Stories

Patience is probably one of those virtues most everybody could improve upon. At least it is for me. There are some great teachers for equanimity. Take traffic, for instance. Traffic is a measuring stick on how calmly I can take things. The ultimate test for me is coming back to Maui/HI from Switzerland. Driving through Paia, the town where I live on the island, in those first few days of adapting to the 11-hour time difference can be quite challenging.… Read more

The custom of celebrating lovers or loved ones dates back centuries. There are many legends about the martyr and Saint, Valentino. In every story, he becomes a victim for not behaving as ordered. For example, it is said that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire.… Read more

I come from a long line of Swiss descendants. Among my ancestors are also bankers. However, I have never been a friend of numbers. For me, money is simply a necessity. Fortunately, I have always had just enough of it, so that I never really had to worry about paying my bills nor how to invest.… Read more

What is love? I discovered that there are many different kinds of love. This insight showed sometimes during a simple household task. This time while cleaning my bedroom windows with the help of my son’s friend George.

Those of you who are familiar with the sliding glass windows common in England and the USA know that one has to unhook one side of the window in order to clean the outside.… Read more

Natalie, though much younger than me, is a long time friend of mine. We get together regularly. Even after I moved away and a two-hour car trip separated us, we still meet about once or twice a year.

Then came the Internet with all its conveniences. Natalie became a fan of Facebook. In the first euphoric phase, I also joined this network, not knowing that I would be stuck with it forever!… Read more

Since childhood, I loved to dance. As soon as I heard music, I would start moving my body to its rhythm. In later years, I loved to dance in beautiful gowns in a ballroom with my husband. But then times changed, and I had either a partner who did not like to dance or I was single.… Read more

While watering my plants on this hot summer day I am looking at my neighbor’s patio. The couple is sitting at their picnic table enjoying a typical Swiss dinner: Bratwurst (a type of sausage) and French fries. A bottle of white wine sits next to two full glasses. I can hear their soft voices and relaxed conversation.… Read more

A friend of mine tells me about an event she is participating in. One of the many workshops you find on Maui’s spiritual scene. But it is also a beneficial event for the purpose of fighting for a clean environment for both Maui and our planet. Besides my friend is a guest speaker, so I decide to sign up for it.… Read more