For almost 20 years,I have been going to a swimming pool because I have loved swimming since very young,and also because my contact with the water sooths me psychologically and physically.3 months ago,I noticed a young person in the swimming pool who must have become a member during that time.I took notice of him first because the time of day I swim(12-2p.m.),there are almost no young people there,and second, I saw a very talented swimmer,who was swimming with such extreme intensity and such spastic movements,that I felt it almost “unnatural”.

He would suddenly begin swimming,almost banging on the water;this for about 5 minutes,and then suddenly he would stop for about 2 or 3 minutes.He would repeat this tempo and the same disoriented movements, again and again,for about 1,5 hours.I felt exhausted just looking at him.There came a time when I saw him at close range in the locker room,and I saw an athletic teenage boy of about 16,but who looked very pale and the expression of his eyes was full of fear and anguish. After a few weeks, I decided that I had to talk to him, and I did this while we were inside the swimming pool.I spoke to him frankly and with a lot of sensitivity,telling him that he shouldn΄t be afraid of anyone or anything.That life is just a brief adventure,and that he has to loosen up if he is to live the moments of his life creatively and tangibly.I suggested to him that there is no need to wear himself out and sacrifice his inner peace just because society and the people around him have a distorted view of life. Later on in the locker room,I gave him the code name of my site.The next time I saw him,he told me that he and his mother had visited my site,and that they liked it.I have therefore decided to put in the “extra”section of my site the first letter that this young person sent to my site, as well as my response to his letter.

Before I complete this introduction, I would like to make certain commentaries related to the psychological state and the behaviour of this young man of 16 or 17,who I shall call Phedros,a famous student of Socrates. First of all, I want to reaffirm my position that young people today,are suffering from a serious psychological, emotional,and especially an existential imbalance and uncertainty.Second,I want to declare that all those “mature” adults have messed up their children because young people today have no real contact with themselves,with their emotions,with their thoughts and with their imagination.Young people are starting to look like “vampires”.My final comment has to be that young people have to become more daring and truthful in relation to their own human nature and real life,otherwise they risk to lose completely their mental and psychological equilibrium.”Incidenally” the father of Phedros is a PSYCHIATRIST! And one final word to Phedros:”Phedros, the King has no clothes,and I think you knew about it all the time!”

The first letter of Phedros sent to my site(written in Greek)

“…I liked very much the letter to the mother,even though I believe it was somewhat harsh.

I would like to ask you a question:

My basic fear is that maybe I shall end up alone,without partners,friends or family.And because I have always believed that true happiness comes from human relations and contacts,I am afraid that I may lose these people.I am afraid of people because they don΄t show any feelings of love;there is only a false demeanour,so very hypocritical.This has become a common occurrence in all my personal everyday contacts. So I ask myself if that΄s the case with me…being so false.And when I have loving feelings for a friend, deep feelings,I try to show it,but I am afraid that all this may seem false;eventhough deep inside of me I know that what I am feeling is a real experience.Both my body and soul respond to these loving emotions. As a result of all these doubts and insecurities,I become fearful that others won΄t really like me … How can I get over these fears??

And in relation to your other article about”chat rooms”,maybe this is the reason why the majority of young people end up using them.

That is all for the time being. Your friend “Phedros”(the young boy from the swimming pool).

My response to the letter sent by “Phedros” (written in Greek) pool.

My dearest friend Phedros,

First of all I want to tell you that using the plural to address me means nothing to me(in Greek syntax using the plural form of various types of pronouns demonstrate respect).Love and real communication begin from a condition of equality and reciprocity.Making distinctions are for those who want to forget about the universality as well as the finite of our existence.Two real and elementary factors of life which should stop anyone from living society΄s “virtual reality”,a “reality” which has absolutely nothing in common with what humans had experienced for almost 1 million years.You are afraid,something I told you the first time I spoke to you. You are afraid because you are searching for truth and the real meaning of life within an impersonal,soulless, static and loveless “virtual reality”,similar to that in “chat rooms” and “reality shows”.Absolute madness. So it΄s time for you to leave behind your fears and your lies,and start to express what you really feel,what you really think and what really inspires you.You are afraid to become a real participant in what is complex and unpredictable.Playing it safe or using pure logic,there is no life,just madness,fears,violence,self-destructive feelings,and serious and deadly psychosomatic illnesses.So you have to start investing in real life,in creative thinking and in free emotions,so that you won΄t be afraid,and so that you won΄t become sick or unstable like so many people close to us,young and old.The old games and settings are irreversibly over.Life is a mystery and therefore an adventure,so enter the magic of life before it΄s too late!!!,

Your friend who respects the mystery of life Alexander