Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 30oC, hot and sunny.
Yesterday, I signed the papers from England. One more thing was resolved.
This past week, I have posted in the long gringo blog every day. I have exercised at least three times and paid all essential bills, such as the rent for Yasmin and Nalva, my glasses with Dona Vera, and some other minor bills. It has been a good week, but something is still missing.
Something is missing in my life that feels so close yet remains unseen. Its absence leaves me feeling empty. I wonder if it’s because of the new life that is about to replace my old one, a new person who might come into my life, or simply about money.
The creation of the Long Gringo blog and my other websites is a gateway to earning more money, which in turn brings more financial freedom than I have ever experienced before. I have always had to spend money on others to live, survive, and support myself and others, often just getting by. I have never experienced a time when I was at least comfortable with a financial cushion. I’m not trying to play the victim, but this is more of an observation. Why has it always been like this?
Is it because I have consistently made the wrong financial decisions, or have I made many wrong decisions and have been paying for them because of my ignorance all my life? Or is it a little bit of bad luck?
Many people don’t believe in luck, but I do. We create our luck through positive actions and attitudes towards ourselves and others. The more positive we are, the more luck we can receive. Positive actions generate luck, while negative actions do not bring any luck or may even have negative consequences for us. It all depends on us.
When we think about negative actions, we can consider the concept of ‘you reap what you sow’, also known as the law of cause and effect or Karma. I believe in this concept. Any negative actions we take will eventually have direct or indirect consequences. Conversely, when we do something positive, we usually receive something positive in return, often better than expected.
During my time living here in Brazil, it’s common to hear discussions about politics and the rampant corruption in the country. Many people feel there is no justice, and corrupt politicians often escape punishment. Despite their illicit and illegal actions, they seem to live comfortably without facing any negative consequences. This takes a heavy toll on Brazilian society and its people.
But deep down, behind the curtains, backstage, these people’s lives are the farthest from peace, comfort, truth, and integrity and more towards a life of hell without peace and serenity. We pay or receive for all we do, whether good or bad. The universe does not know the difference; it only helps, whether good or bad. If we do good, we receive good; if we do wrong, we receive bad. Sooner or later, the bill comes for us to pay, one way or another.
Our lives reflect our decisions, our character, and how we present ourselves. This is why it is so important to have self-awareness and understand ourselves, especially our flaws.
By knowing what we are bad at or can improve, we can become better people in the future, not just for ourselves but for our partners, family, friends, and society. It is never too late to self-reflect to be a better person because if we are better, we should, in turn, live a better life.
I took Perola to the park with me. After exercising, I showered, changed, and went to Copacabana. Yasmin had dropped her glasses the day before, and one of the lenses had fallen out. I went to the shop where I bought her glasses, and Don Vera, the owner, was able to fix them quickly. By chance, I met an old flame whom I hadn’t seen for three or four months. It was so nice to see her. We had a coffee and caught up on everything.
Even though sometimes we don’t stay with the person we like, we still love and respect them. It’s nice to see them; we know deep down when somebody genuinely likes us. When this happens, we should reciprocate. Later, I arrived home feeling good from the chance meeting and gave Yasmin back her repaired glasses, which were fully intact. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and working on the websites.
I haven’t had a glass of wine in 10 days.
In bed by midnight.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
