The magic bowl

There’s seldom been so much talk about normality as in the past few weeks and months when everyday life has been completely turned upside down – practically from one day to the next – by the spreading of a novel virus called COVID 19. Is this the new normal?

The end of the year is fast approaching. For many people this is a time to reflect on what they hope the coming year will bring and plan for what they intend to do. And for some people it’s a time to stand back a little and ask themselves what really is important in their life.

A few weeks ago I watched the Markus Lanz talk show on German TV for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. Not just because Lanz seems to me an excellent host with a keen and probing mind but because the round of people he’d invited included the neuroscientist Henning Beck who has the knack of presenting his intriguing findings on how our human brain functions in an entertaining manner.