WHEN I THINK BACK SOMETIMES

 

by Klaus Döring

Not long ago, I passed a milestone marking 55 years since I began writing my first published article in a newspaper. I began keeping all the clippings since then. Time changed. Yes. I have my only online-archive. Believe me, it's like a book. As I reread my first articles, I was amazed, I ever kept them  up. 

Back to my clippings. Can you imagine that there are some benefits from keeping them? From life experiences, I see that progress and failure are both parts of my journey. My columns are mostly a view into a mirror. I am reminded of God's grace when I read (and wrote before) how He helped me to find solutions to problems. I also gained insight from past struggles that help with issues I am currently facing. I remember one of my previous columns entitled "If failures get results".

God has indeed been faithfully working in my life.

I read a story by Dennis Fisher, who didn't keep publishing clippings but a spiritual journal. He advised: "Journaling may be useful to you too. It can help you see more clearly what God is teaching you on life's journey. To begin a journal, record your struggles, reflect on a verse that is especially comforting or challenging, or write a prayer of thankfulness for God's faithfulness."

Our brains prioritize rewarding memories over others, and reinforce them by replaying them when we are at rest.

It may help strengthen bonds with friends and family. It makes me optimistic. Optimism is having the ability to think positively of the future, and recalling moments that made you feel courageous, happy, successful, or any other positive emotion gives you an optimistic lens to see the future through.This can help us live each day to the fullest or even help us see the beauty that is in everyday life.

Yes, I am 73 now. I will complete my biography during these days in the middle of my wonderful Philippine family.

+++

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn or X -Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.

IS EVERY CHANGE A NEW OPPORTUNITY?

By

 Klaus Döring

 -

Thursday, September 3, 2026

“EVERY new day is another chance to change your life.” Each morning offers us a fresh start – an opportunity to leave past mistakes behind and make choices that lead toward a better future.

Change is the only constant in life and in business. But change is not necessarily something to overcome. Instead, we should regard it as a catalyst for innovation, agility, and organizational resilience.

When we embrace change, we become more adaptable to new circumstances, situations, and people, and more receptive to the opportunities they offer. Welcoming change with enthusiasm enables us to discover possibilities for improvement and advancement.

The “best” quotation about life depends on what we need at a particular moment. One of the most widely loved and profound is, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” – a line popularized by John Lennon.

“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” British statesman Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) uttered these words in 1940, during the grim days of World War II.

Blood, tears, and sweat can also accompany the changes and challenges of daily life. How many times does life seem to challenge us to a duel? I am not talking about the provocative or defiant people around us who seem determined to block our progress or drag our lives into negativity.

Such people often make “much ado about nothing” – thank you, William Shakespeare, for that phrase. They may wear a curt, insincere smile, yet they have long refused to take even a single step toward confronting change or accepting a challenge.

The rest is silence. And allow me to quote Shakespeare again: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Change in life is both important and necessary. Let us alter what needs to be altered and make a difference. Let us exchange one thing for another, shift direction when necessary, leave one state for another, and put on fresh clothing for a new journey.

Change is a transformation from the old to the new, from the negative to the positive, from ignorance to knowledge, from doubt and worry to understanding and awareness, from fear to faith, from decline to growth, from sadness to happiness, and from “I cannot” to “I can!””

Nothing is permanent except change. It cannot be avoided, even if we close our eyes; it can only be delayed. Let us open our eyes and accept the challenge of building a successful life. Those who refuse to change risk being left behind. We cannot expect new results if we insist on using the same old ways.

Let us burn away the emotional baggage that keeps us locked in place. Perhaps one morning, after enduring periods of blood, tears, and sweat, we will awaken and finally discover that we are happy.

Here is my favorite quotation for anyone seeking the courage to embrace change and adapt to new situations: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

The words are attributed to Alan Wilson Watts (Jan. 6, 1915-Nov. 16, 1973), an English writer, speaker, and self-styled “philosophical entertainer.”

***

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com, follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn, or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com./PN