I am Charlotte von Kielmansegg , a dancer. In my younger years, I was a true modern, contemporary dancer in Chicago and performed sacred dance at Berlin Cathedral. In my later years, I tend to "dance" through life in a more communicative way, speaking for our Protestant regional church, letting my two sons carry me on their shoulders, jogging, and going on pilgrimages—massaging the earth with my feet—through secluded landscapes. I love joyful gatherings with friends. And I equally love being alone. I love red wine, Tuscany, and the Namibian desert. Good music, singing, and good conversations about faith, the meaning of life, and the question of what color to reupholster my armchairs.
Kindness and good manners are values that guide me in life.
When we are kind, in the truest sense of the word, we always show our fellow human beings a loving approach. It's an attitude that—regardless of what comes from the other person—radiates inner security and equanimity; the knowledge that we ourselves are held and carried by the one God. It would be wonderful if I could always manage to approach things with this attitude, because then I can always behave authentically towards things and people.
Honesty and straightforwardness are values that constantly challenge me.
I believe that to be truly honest with ourselves and others in every moment, we need a considerable degree of awareness and we must be free from fear of loss. If I'm constantly afraid of not being liked, then I lose myself.
Personal responsibility is a value that our society should embrace more.
If we all had more courage to make our own responsible decisions and act accordingly, we wouldn't always be clamoring so loudly for the state to regulate everything for us. Freedom begins with personal responsibility – and ends where it infringes on the freedom of others. And humility: We could all use much, much more humility!
