Wednesday
26 March 2003
How's your trivsel holding up?
By Michael Jean Nystrom-Schut
The past several days have cast a much different perspective on the stresses the creditors face in trying to recover our lost, stolen or misplaced dollars. Much of the world is now embroiled in war, and for numberless human lives, a personal sense of trivsel is at stake!
The approximate Spanish word for it is ganas (to win, or to have will power). In English, it is closer to the verb thriving. For the many Nystrom families from Sweden, though, the word for an overall sense of inner peace, contentment and will to live would be this notion of trivsel.
So is your personal trivsel okay these days?
Every Villalobos creditor rightfully wants to know: where do we stand, on our weary wait with Enrique? Are we making any progress? What is happening? What's new?
As usual, Duke gets to things before anyone else, and on Monday, he was able to read (on an unguarded computer screen in the courts) that Osvaldo has lost his latest appeal. This was ruled upon last Friday and came as no great surprise.
In the meanwhile, a meeting was held somewhere else down there, with the results from it proving to us that although the government doesn't have much, they are trenching in with what little they think they do have.
This conjured condition of bewilder flashed before Duke and I today: where would we be about now if the personal attorneys for the brothers had all along handled things differently, perhaps more assertively, more openly?
Is it time for a change of horses? Unleash the yokes? Bring in some fresh ones?
Important "players" will be making key moves again this week. And I am happy to acknowledge that behind many scenes, Jose Miguel is obviously busy on behalf of the creditors. Could it be that I was premature in my comments about him just last week?
I hope so
and frankly, I think so. I stuck my neck out and speculated. (Not so much Duke, by the way, but me! - it was my article, only with Duke).
It is a case where I would gladly see myself being totally in the wrong
Regardless, as has often been the case, we can assure you that things are in process. It is a waste of words to demand that Enrique respond, as we would individually like him to.
An article in a local online newspaper is a recent example of someone trying to openly suggest how Enrique needs to play his cards.
Pleasant was the thought: a $5.000 earnest check for each of us. As his friend, I'll stick with him if I see that check soon, and if I don't.
For just as that incredible "war over there" is sure to take some time, this will continue to be the case with our own private micro-war, here, and we might as well just come to face that.
Considering all that is transpiring, and in this funny "lull" of waiting for more to unfold, I thought I would like to ask the following ten questions that concern you and your personal well being.
Please take a few inspired moments to consider them.
1. Although you sometimes feel abandoned by your famous "friend-in-hiding," is there plenty of love and friendship present in your life these days?
(Human to human relationships, on many levels, represents one important cornerstone for a healthy existence).
2. Although Enrique was not able to worship with you in church this week, or sit down with you for a cup of java, do you maintain your groups of friends, people who are like-minded towards you, that you feel you belong to and can share your life with?
(We are gregarious beings, and we need each other).
3. Although your manila envelope did not arrive in time to buy some toys or share some change with a youngster this week, did you get a chance to nurture your kid, or in the absence of one of your own, someone else's kid? Or maybe someone needed nurturing who's all grown up?
(It is our human instinct to nurture one another).
4. Although Enrique did not tap you on the shoulder and tell you things were still intact, and that the money was safe, were you able to touch loved ones, and have them touch you in return? Maybe you got to hug a stranger in the street?
(As humans, our need to feel the physical presence of each other is borne into us, and imbedded deeply).
5. Although your lack of money could not buy you any art, or decorations, or shiny new things, have you taken the time recently to appreciate the wealth in the art of the world around you, knowing that the beholding eye is the ever-present, free window to the imagination?
(The world of art, in all of its expressions and manifestations, is basic to our humanness).
6. Although you could have played harder, and had more fun, if you knew for sure your money got compounded last month, did you laugh and play and frolic, just a little bit at least, taking advantage of the freedom that life gives us to do that whenever we choose?
(Play is innate in the human expression, and it's something we should never outgrow as long as we live).
7. Although you were no doubt busy like the rest of us in adding up your losses, and maybe even fretting over an overheated calculator wondering how you will pay the bills, did you step outside and behold the world of nature, the brightness of the sun-filled day, and the star-shine of the night?
(The world out-of-doors, although not often properly accessed by many of us, beckons us to return to it. It's in our nature to be close to nature).
8. Although the excitement of money - and all that it can buy us with its stimulations of spending and accumulating and consuming - can keep us far from sensations of boredom, are you finding newer, cheaper, more innovative ways to stay stimulated, and remaining loose and flexible in your daily, nightly life?
(As humans, just to go out and watch the airplanes take off and land - like Duke's family and I did a few times this week - can keep us feeling high on life).
9. Although we swear we will give more of our money to those in need
if, that is, Enrique can return to spread it out to us again, are we still reaping the varied benefits of giving, from even less of that which we have left from which to give?
(Our need to be altruistic and philanthropic, while seriously curtailed with less money, should still be as much a source of our cause of being as it ever has been, and maybe even more if such a thing is possible).
10. Although without the peace of mind of knowing our Enrique money is safe, and that we will surely see it again, can we respond to the challenge of finding meaning and purpose in the midst of a more barren life without it?
(All human souls require there be both meaning and purpose, and when that is not present, there is no way we can avoid the suffering it leaves us to face).
So there we are - ten important parts of life. With or without the loot we have stashed away with our friend, we remain in need of having these human instincts intact, and if they are not, as the Swedes would say, we might just lose our trivsel.
So here's the summary; the "short list" goes like this:
1. Keep love and friendship alive in your life
2. Ensure that your group affiliations are intact
3. Nurture others (and be nurtured), young and old
4. Touch and be touched
5. Keep art alive, in all its forms
6. Play like you did when you were a little one
7. Stay exposed to the wide world of nature
8. Remain stimulated with life (avoid boredom and stagnancy)
9. Practice the golden rule of giving and sharing
10. Maintain purpose and meaning in your everyday existence
Hank, Duke, Rainer, Gold and I will do our best to keep you aware of all that is transpiring. So many of you are paying us with your trust to do that; we will not violate that trust.
We're not the UCCR, and we don't pretend to be - we're five regular guys who want our money back! We have no bones to pick with the UCCR, and heck! We're all working together, separately, to do what each feels they must do.
Though it appeared otherwise, we are supporting Jose Miguel, and especially so as we recognize more of his great charisma and connections in the San Jose community. This man is incredibly educated, and informed; and he carries a big, big stick.
What will work and what will fail is a matter of trial and error; at this point, we'll try damned near anything! And as we have said before, although it may "all seem lost," this thing is very far from being over just yet.
As it concerns these personal suggestions (which is the main point of my correspondence) if we aren't doing generous doses of these ten things in our daily lives, it may, for us, already be over.
We may live to see a grand re-opening some day. The glory days may well return. The grinding mill is churning even now.
In the meanwhile, cuidate! Which simply means, "take care of
you!" And do it responsibly.
Possess your trivsel! And Peace be yours.
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