I am Charlotte von Kielmansegg, a dancer. In my younger years, truly – modern, contemporary – in Chicago and liturgical dance at the Berlin Cathedral. In my older years, I "dance" more communicatively through life, speak on behalf of our Protestant regional church, let my two sons carry me on their hands, and enjoy jogging and going on pilgrimages – massaging the earth with my feet – through lonely landscapes. I love cheerful gatherings with friends. And I also 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 which color I should use to reupholster my armchairs.
Kindness and integrity are values that guide me in life.
When we are kind, in the deepest sense of the word, we always show a loving attentiveness toward our fellow human beings. An attitude that – no matter what comes from the other person – radiates an inner security and inner equanimity; the knowledge that we ourselves are held and carried by the one God. It would be wonderful if I could always manage to face things with integrity, because then I can always relate to things and people in an authentic way.
Honesty and straightforwardness are values that challenge me again and again.
I believe that in order to be honest with oneself and others in every moment, we need a fair amount of awareness and we must be free from the fear of loss. If I am constantly afraid of not being liked, then I lose myself.
Personal responsibility is a value that our society should live by more.
If we all had more courage to make decisions and act responsibly, we would not always be crying out so loudly for the state to regulate everything for us. Freedom begins with personal responsibility – and ends where it restricts the freedom of one's neighbor. And humility: much, much more humility would look good on us!
