There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing

Aristotle

I have seen the Darkness but also the Light

Where to start, I am a Dane in my 80th year. I am sure many will agree when I say that I have had an interesting life.

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars

My life has been full of events. Many of which I was responsible for, and sadly others were outside my control. The most important thing in life is love and experience (you walk the path). I have known pain and failure, but remember that true happiness comes from giving to others.

I certainly have been so fortunate to enjoy a lot of love, specifically from the devoted love of a soul mate. Love is the very base of life. I have walked (and at times crawled) the path of the deep and cold winter night, deep in the snow, in the depth of the valley getting slowly up to the mountain, with sun and blue sky, being fortunate and lucky indeed, spending most of my time where the eagles fly.

I am so thankful that all my sons and my grandchildren all have enjoyed good health. I am thankful for waking up to three of my grandchildren’s eyes gazing at me and to have played in good times with many of my grandchildren in my home overlooking Monaco. I am thankful for speaking recently on Skype to my 24 years old grandson, who reminded me that I am head of a family with 38 members and only a few years ago, for the first time, to have seen four of my beautiful grandchildren, living in Asia. My grandchildren, among themselves, speak more than ten languages, but not Danish, my home language.

Further, I was so fortunate to spend 18 years of my life with the most incredible human being, Romana, giving me so much happiness and love. I was so privileged to witness her death and transition from this life, leaving me with humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit, as expressed by Albert Einstein. To me, she defeated death and is here from eternity to eternity. Romana and I enjoyed a love, for nearly 19 years, that most people will never experience, she was a true soulmate.

The birth of three of my sons, seeing my four sons growing up, my family and private life, my travels, work with charities, financial market, and business experiences and seeing my lovely grandchildren, all events which have shaped my person, all precious memories. However, the experience to have being a victim of the Inquisitorial legal system in Denmark and 33 years later, the Adversarial legal systems in the United Kingdom, are experiences that I could have done without. These two events left a deep scar and imprint on my life; worse, it affected my relationship with my sons and their families. My experience must be considered unique for any person.

All victims are guilty somehow, for them to become a victim, in the first place, – so am I, guilty of becoming a victim, not once, but twice. The second time, I was very ill and totally incapable of dealing with anything, allowing my enemies to stab me in the back and destroy what was left of my dignity.

Sadly, the first time, I made a terrible mistake in life, an error of youth, possibly by not having the experience of a father or grandfather around. I came back to my birth country Denmark in the mid-1970s, to a place where the unwritten Scandinavian social code Janteloven, the rule “Do not believe that you are anything”. At the time, I really did not understand this unwritten law – and that was truly my stupidity.

I like the words of Aristotle:

“The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.”