Last week we attended a concert at the Newton Prep primary school and the Bunster sang his heart out. We loved every minute of it and it was good for the soul.

There were about 70 kids all around age 5. This is reception year for the Bun man and he seems to enjoy his school. He has a cool group of friends, from all over the world.

Before the concert began one of the teachers made some announcements, about the fire alarm and other safety things. And then this warm sounding teacher spoke about something which has stuck in my head. She suggested that everyone put their phones away. She did go onto to say, “By all means, take photos and videos”, but she explained that when we are taking photos and videos the kids only see our phones and not our faces, and she emphasized at how they want to see our faces.

I took a few photos right at the end but my phone was away for the concert. And the Bunster was looking right at us. I assume this was the case for each kid there. They need to be acknowledged and affirmed. The Bun man wants us to be proud of him. He actually asks us, “Are you proud of me?” I can just melt.

It was such a beautiful experience and the kids were amazing. How the music teacher gets them to do all of that is just beyond me. We can’t get the Bun man to sit still when eating dinner, and yet, for an hour, he was singing and bopping, and he was so cool. I did not want it to end. I felt very blessed to be able to be there and to experience love like this.

My last thought on this mad phone-photo culture that has consumed the planet : how many sunsets have we all taken pictures and videos of on our phones? And how many times do we look at these photos and videos? Most of us never look at what we have captured ever again. So why do we do it? How many of life’s magical moments are we missing out on because of these digital distractions?

None of the kids in Bun’s reception group have a phone and I hope none of them get one anytime soon. I grew up without a mobile phone in my pocket and I survived. These phones have their uses, sure, but also, they are taking something away from all of us. To be present we need to put away our phones.

The Russian drone that hit a residential building in Romania this week was no accident. Russia is testing the West. Slowly. Constantly. The writing is on the wall. Of course, NATO said this is not on. But other than a few words of dissatisfaction, no one will do anything. The Russians can sense weakness, and this will fuel their evil.

Yes, many will call it an “accident”. Was the full scale invasion of Ukraine an accident?! This is all deliberate, and it will keep on coming.

Russia will not stop, unless they are stopped. My bet is that Estonia is going to be attacked in the next year or two. Will America do anything to help Estonia? I don’t think so. And then NATO will fall apart. That is what I reckon.

I read online that the EU Commission said that Russia had crossed yet another line. What a joke. Russia has broken every law there is, countless times, for so many years. How many more of these so-called lines must Russia cross before Europe finally wakes up.

When Russia eventually bombs a NATO country we should not act surprised. They keep telling the world they are going to do it. When will Europe start believing that they mean it?

I believe a bigger war is coming to Europe. Of course, I hope I am wrong.

Kyiv got attacked again. This past Saturday brought the biggest bombardment yet to Ukraine’s capital by its insane neighbour, Russia. So much pain and destruction. And the world just continues to watch. Like it is a reality TV show.

Where is the moral and strategic imagination of the world’s leaders. Russia will not stop, unless it is stopped. Ukraine is keeping the evil at bay, and paying for this in blood. Where are those infamous Taurus missiles, for example, that the new German leader promised Ukraine if he was elected?

This was the news I read the day after the strike in Kyiv. And just a few days before there was the UK’s surprise easing of Russian oil sanctions. WTF ?!

I was chatting with a friend in Kyiv last night. The recent strike on the city was the main discussion. My friend then says to me, “The world does not see Ukraine as an equal country.” He is right. And this is very sad. This is largely a result of Russian propaganda, which is a very real thing, and it is non-stop.

If Paris or Madrid, say, had a strike like Kyiv just had then the world would go crazy, And yet, Kyiv (and other cities in Ukraine) have had countless attacks in the past 4 years, and nothing seems to change.

My friend also said to me that the Oreshnik ICBM which was part of the Saturday strike was sent not to scare Ukrainian ,but rather, the rest of Europe. This is all part of the games that Russia constantly plays. Terror is their strategy, and it clearly works. What a sad state of affairs. Europe is so much bigger and powerful than Russia and yet, everyone is so scared to do anything. This has been clear for quite some time.

One other thing that my friend pointed out is that Kyiv (and the rest of Ukraine) still needs more air defense. If Europe does not want to fight, then that is one thing, but why not help Ukraine defend itself to the max. I don’t get it. I have not got it for a long time. Ukraine pleads non-stop for more air defense capacity and it is always the same story of too little, too late.

I was listening to a magic podcast. Magic, as in abracadabra. That beautiful art that produces smiles, laughter and wonder. The magician said something so simple and it has stuck with me all week.

“Confidence isn’t built just by success. It is also built by repetition.“

The more you try the better you get. Luck favours the persistent.

A simple message that we often forget. An overnight success takes 20 to 30 years.

Practice makes perfect. Embrace the journey. Never stop.

If you love doing something then keep doing it. That is what purpose is all about.