There are some people who value being born in this extreme western part of Europe that for some centuries has been known as Portugal. Others, who think that it is not important to be born here or there, feel more like citizens of the world.
 
Maybe the number of people in the first group is decreasing in favour of those in the second one. This is so thanks to the technological evolution that allows us to know what is happening on the other side of the planet in a short period of time or to move much quicker than we could have imagined some decades ago.
 
In both groups there may be those who feel happy to have a temperate climate, to live in a fertile land, to deal with people whose habits are moderate, or to integrate into a society with easy access to the latest (or at least the last but one) innovations of science and technology.
 
But there are also those who are unhappy because they don’t live in a country with a higher income per capita, greater importance on the international level, better ways of communicating and more availability of amusements, or having just one season — summer, of course.
 
Perhaps we all think a little bit like this and our opinion changes according to our environment. Not long ago, some of us would repeat “Angola is ours!”. And now others (or even the same) often say “We live in Europe!”.
 
In Portugal, as well as in any other country, there are pleasant and unpleasant situations, reasons for being satisfied and deep problems which are difficult to solve, people more capable of overcoming those problems and people less capable of solving them.
 
We don’t live in “paradise”, but we are also not condemned to “hell” - neither here, nor in any other place on this planet.
 
The truth is that for centuries, some Portuguese have been able to overcome their problems They have been truly useful to themselves, to those around them, to the Portuguese people in general and even to Humankind.
 
Here, as in other places around the globe, there have been people capable of becoming well-known on an international level, as well as people who have dragged themselves through life, complaining about their misfortune — their neighbours’, their friends’ and the strangers’. They haven’t been able to build or help to build anything.
 
There is no such thing as fortune. Those who come up with intelligent, logical and rational solutions for problems and act accordingly, in a balanced and persistent way, always win... in Portugal, as well as in any other country.
 
We are and will be whatever the 10 million Portuguese shall want. At home, at work, in the associations we belong to... everywhere is our country. Our individual success depends on ourselves. Our collective success depends on us all.
 
We have to think that our present fortunes and misfortunes are due to our past attitudes. We live in the environment we chose. And we deserve our Government and local power.
 
We have to trust ourselves and work, and believe that those who try hard to solve their problems are always able to overcome them (even if it seems very hard and takes some time). We have to believe that we prepare our future in the present. If everyone works instead of waiting for others, we will really be 10 million workers.
 
Our work will then be followed by more success and a better welfare. Our identity will be reinforced. The respect of other people for us will increase. But... only if every of these 10 million shall want. 
 

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