Change

I seem to be getting a lot of it recently.
Changing house, changing marital status, (ex)changing intimacy, changing habits, changing job location, changing cities (?)…Puf! It’s energy consuming.

Hmm…Maybe I should consider volunteering for cloning.
I’d convince my clone that all these changes are fulfilling, small seeds of happiness, source of learning and experience. The best recipe for exponential living. (I’m guessing that if I was one of the first clones, I’d be eager to learn how to be like a real human, so nothing better than a intensive training on “human behaviour”).

And then, I’d make a deal with my clone. It would go very smoothly, as I would put in practise all my negotiation skills:
Me: "Listen up, clone (yes, it would have a name, but for this purpose it’s irrelevant). I can see you’re a lively, curious, intelligent being (if you don’t know, the saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” also applies to clones and its models).
Clone: Thank you. (Note that all clones come pre-teached on the rules of social behaviour).

Me: As your mentor, I feel compelled, no,…I feel obliged to provide you with all the learning materials you need to get on the fast-track to human behaviour. You shall be an exemplar clone if you so choose to be. And as you’ll learn – consider this the 1st lesson – the best way to learn something is through practice. In sum, if you want to know what Life is about, you need to experience it first hand.
Clone: To learn on life, you have to…live!
Me: Exactly! That is why, I’m willing to break rules for you – consider this the 2nd lesson – rules exist to be broken, but in your case only with my approval.
Clone: What would that break be?
Me: Right again. It would be a break! Your break! To live a high roll life, full of excitement...the full package of international life, challenging job, handful of good friends, cherishing family far enough to leave in a permanent nostalgia, unspoken breaking of personal boundaries!
Clone: Wow…*eyes open wide and shiny looking out to the horizon*…”

Ok.
Nevermind the flagrant oversell of the upsides of my (and every) life.
Nevermind the flagrant undersell of the downsides of my (and every) life.
The important thing is I’d have completed my mission. Then I’d turn off my mobile, take a plane back to Lisbon, and spend the same afternoon in a seaside beach, enjoying my recent freedom.