When I started this journey less than a year ago I thought I would not last very long and now writing this letter, more often than I ever expected - with its various topics - has become such an important part of my life. Today I am actually sending out Letter #100 to you.
As I do not number my letters (perhaps I should start with that to keep track easier) I only even noticed through my Spotify playlist showing the number of songs that have been added - as of today we are at 100 songs and 6 hours 50 minutes of music.
I was asking myself what I should write about for this “special occasion”. Should it be something deep, something meaningful, or impactful? I was never able to force anything like that so as always (or most of the time) I write about what is on my mind and what moves me and today it might just be a bit more personal.
Due to a family crisis, I stayed in Geneva for a few weeks with my sister and despite this crisis, I had the opportunity to spend some amazing quality time with her. You may guess that we are very close and I love her dearly. We had some difficult phases in our lives, even many (too many) years in which we didn’t even speak to one another (which was not because we chose to, but that is a long and ugly story that I will not bother you with here). Just this much: I owe a lot to her and we were lucky to have had one another growing up!
And tonight I am flying to London with my son. We are going to visit my daughter and be there for her graduation from University in Brighton on Friday. I am not sure if I can put into words how happy and proud I am of her. She has become such an amazing and independent young woman that is not only beautiful on the outside but also on the inside. Knowing that I am a part of something so huge is simply overwhelming. My little family means everything to me and there is literally nothing I would not do for them. Admittedly I have always envied big families and their gatherings - something I never experienced with my own family. I have long since made my peace with these things and cherish the family I have all the more.
I am getting a tad sentimental but I really cannot wait to have both my children around me and spend time with them, celebrating my daughter’s achievement. Wish me luck that my flight is on time and we get to her on time.
Good that I named my Letter Change & Evolve as I get sidetracked a lot. All the more I want to thank you all for reading my letters, listening to them, and even watching them as I joined the test group here on Substack for the video cast.
I know, as I do not have one specific topic, what I write is not always of interest to all of you. I appreciate that you stick with me anyway. Most of all though I would like to thank you for engaging with me, be it in the comments or by writing to me directly. Not only does it mean a lot to me, but I also enjoy the conversations I have with some of you tremendously. Please don’t stop inspiring me and let’s see what the next 100 will bring!
But before I end today, I have to share something that I just couldn't believe when I read it. I was firmly convinced that it had to be a hoax - boy was I wrong.
"Emilia Fester talks about voting rights for two-year-olds", writes the "Bild Zeitung", and continues: "Emilia Fester (24, member of the Green Party) is the youngest member of the German Bundestag. She says about herself that she 'wanted to vote when I was eight' - now she has spoken out in favour of voting rights for toddlers too!"
This is not the first time Fester has absolutely embarrassed herself to the bone (and probably not the last). With an infantile pro-vaccination speech in which she claimed she couldn't go abroad because of Corona, although she was abroad at the time, and in which she said she couldn't go to university - without mentioning that she wasn't even enrolled at a university.
After this speech, Reiner Wendt (CDU), head of the German police union, called Fester (rightfully) an "ego brat", a "little child" and a "ridiculous ego representative". But this is only a side note.
The 24-year-old defended her statement that two-year-olds should also be allowed to vote in a joint interview with former Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) in the magazine "Focus".
An excerpt of the dialogue:
Schäuble: "I have one question for you: I have four grandchildren aged two, four, fifteen and seventeen. From your point of view, which of them should be allowed to vote? "
Fester: "For me personally: everyone who wants to."
Schäuble: "So also my two-year-old?"
Fester: "That's how I see it personally. As a representative of my parliamentary group, I say: 15- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote."
Instead of introducing the right to vote for two-year-olds, voters should perhaps think about who they send to the Bundestag.
I find it disgraceful that the people have to pay for such mentally inferior (I am really being nice here) MPs. I can't think of many ways to top these ridiculousnesses - unfortunately, I'm sure they'll find ways. I am ashamed and embarrassed when I hear and read such things.
Fester's contact with real professional life has been rather sparse, as with many Green party members. Her Bundestag page only states the following:
"2014 to 2016 artistic director of the youth collective Saltokuffchens; 2014 to 2017 initiation and project management of the Agendi series, annual youth improv theatre workshop camps; 2017 co-actor in the play "zweikummernull" by TheaterMatz for children; 2018 guest director with Julia Hart; 2018 assistant director with Susanne Reifenrath and Meyer&Kowski; 2017 to 2019 feature film producer "Sven"; 2018 to 2019 assistant director and stage hand at the Junges Schauspielhaus Hamburg.”
The question that arises for me here is what qualifies this person to be a member of the German Bundestag?
Instead of a right to vote for two-year-olds, how about demanding completed vocational training or, as a substitute, several years of professional experience for members of the Bundestag?
Maybe then the number of absurd proposals with crazy ideas would decrease somewhat - one is allowed to hope…
🎶My Song of the Day
Is a song that I absolutely love, that puts a smile on my face and makes me want to dance… It shows that you can always go back to the bright side of the road, no matter what was!
📚My Poem of the Day
Is a very short one by the amazing W. B. Yeats (1885-1939)
Gratitude To The Unknown Instructors
What they undertook to do
They brought to pass;
All things hang like a drop of dew
Upon a blade of grass.
👀Impressions
I chose this one from my daughters high school graduation in June 2017 - my beautiful little (ok, my son is at least a head taller than me now) family!
If you would like to connect with me, find out more about the Enneagram and yourself, and how it can transform you and your life, I would be happy to take the time for a speed coaching call that you can reserve right here go to my website or simply hit reply and get in touch with me directly.
Thank you again for your kindness and support as well as your comments and feedback. Please keep it up!
Yours
Tanja 🤗
Congratulations on the centenary and congratulations to your daughter! Hope you’ll have fun here, at least the weather isn’t as stifling as last week.
I am gratified to hear that with Emilia Fester Germany had closed the AOC gap with the US. I was getting worried the yanks were going to run away with the brain dead political bratzen award.
“… stage hand at the Junges Schauspielhaus Hamburg.”
Tsk, tsk. Didn’t even make the cut at the Thalia Theater. Sad!