Prague. Relax center Na Homolce.

Men’s sauna.

31st December, quite early in the morning. The optimal condition – I’m there alone. All my worries and distractions are melting in the heat like icicles. For ten minutes already, I am lost in my thoughts. Maybe not exactly lost. In fact, I am composing a new blog post about mentoring.

Two voices from behind the corner. To my surprise, one of them is a female voice. In men’s sauna? What the hell is that?

I hear they’re coming closer. Now I’m able to recognize the words.

“I really don’t know”, she says.

“Oh come on, he won’t mind”, he replies.

“Hey, wait a minute”, I’m thinking. What the hell are they talking about? What’s their plan? And who won’t mind?

“What if they find out?”

“Don’t worry honey, really. At the reception they would say that it’s OK as long as it does not bother anyone.”

I got it now. How the hell can he think I won’t be bothered by him bringing his female company here? How does he dare to say something like that?

But then… I think a bit more. Am I nervous about a lady staring at me sweating? I get rational. Honestly, why would she do that? Or is it the prospect of a nude woman sitting nearby that would break my focus? Hardly. Due to the heat, I have already entered a state in which I stopped caring about everything around.

A 50-year old man with youthful blue eyes appears behind the glass door of the sauna. He opens it a little and in a quiet, modest voice, asks me: “Would you mind if I joined you here with my lady?”

I realize that – I would not. Not at all.

“Sure, no problem.”

He smiles as a boy that was just told he can get that second portion of ice cream.

He nods at her and they enter. She looks a bit nervous, but he calms her down. She relaxes and they start whispering. Enjoying this special – a little bit adventurous – moment together.

 

“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.”

– Madonna

Well, this guy said it. He got it. And you know what? Nobody got hurt.

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My wishes to you for 2016

In the coming year, I wish you courage.

Courage to always say what you truly want. Because – saying it aloud is often the only way to get it.

May your 2016 be the best year so far,

Lukas

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Featured image by Ian Kennedy, taken from Flickr under Creative Commons license. Colors adjusted.