"Work for the idea, not for the money." - Mom
I just turned 35 less than a month ago.
Saying and typing that doesn't feel right but like getting older, it's just a matter of getting used to.
And getting used to gets easier with age.
I've recently had a battle with inflammation due to stress, poor diet, and no rest. It led me to the hospital and during the long wait for someone to see me, I realized that I need to take care of me more.
I believe we all think we're invincible at one time or another and that we can really push ourselves to a limit where the only thing we needed was rest. However as I grew older, that's not so much the case anymore.
I value a lot of things in my life, most of which the idea came from my mother.
She taught me to remove the monetary value of anything I do and only apply fantastical thoughts and goals. And that everything is worth trying for, even for a moment.
What I lack these days is a sense of when to stop.
Is dreaming too much actually a bad thing?
It's going to be different next year.
That's what I keep telling myself.
And it will be, it always will.
As I continue to age, I also continue to progress.
And I like to think that I'm a poor reflection of myself.
Maybe I'm a little too harsh and maybe that's why I'm feeling so beat.
So here I sit in this empty room somewhere in Cologne, with a clogged nose, an inflamed stomach while the Christmas market nearby roars around me and I dream of you, all of you, and you're all dreaming with me.
To be continued.
© 2026 Johnny Nghiem
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