As endings goes, everything starts Anew.

And so it is for the Artschool; the Art Academy at Haarlem.

I was asked to tell something about, wel actually about beginnings.

And as i rapidly made up a speech (at home, not at the Academy itself of cource, as fast as that went - as slowly my mind wrapped around it.

Because: I had been here before.

Preparing a speech. Starting a new year. Dinner. Students.

What was it with cycles? ...

With everything starting anew? ...

With old habits and new feelings?

How do we really feel about replaying a same script - over and over and over again?

And so the start of a New Year became a leap back to my days as a philosopher, back at school, many years ago. When i was doing a Bachelor study actually.

The story of Plato: persception which is an illusion. The story of the drawings in a Cave, actually. You should look it up. An Old story - Perhaps New for you. Another Cycle.

So...: Was i stuck in my own Cave? Was everything an Illusion? 

For example: Last year i stopped drawing, just to pick up a pencil very recently. In a New Year. An old habbit. 

And that wasn't the only thing that turned into some kind of cycle.  I stopped painting on canvas, to - a few months later - starting to paint on walls, in my home. 

And stopped being a teacher in the art of relaxation approximately two months ago, just to start some classes again, just a few weeks later. 

Why, why does the human seem to have a need for cycles and repetitions? 

Repetation should feel boring. t actually should be something we should avoid, in my opinion. Wouldn't it be more exiting to do something New, everytime? Not doing things that we already did or that someone already thought about or invented? Wouldn't that be something? But instead the repetition feels safe, comforting and stable - at least is sometimes does, for me.

And i hate it at the same time. I Lóve New Years. And i Hate New Years. The start of te School-terms. The end of the Holiday-season.

The earning of a Diploma. And the end of learning.

The end of some relations. (For example because someone died) And the start of freedom. (Because now you have lots of spare time, since you aren't visiting or caring for the dead person anymore.)

Hate - Love. Love - Hate. The same cycle.

So here we are. As i am holding up my bag of New Beginnings. My old way of speaking and my new way of 'standing my ground' Love You. Hate You. I really do. But i am repeting myself:

Welcome, New Year..!