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I always wondered, there must have been sometime in Papa's life when his back itched...or ached!
Who would scratch it for him...a "Chinese back-scratcher", if he had one?

Or if his back ached at night...did he ever wish he had someone to rub it?

Now, don't get me wrong...I do NOT mean this in an erotic way....
I was just wondering if he ever had thoughts...

and now that he is Pope, is it harder for him to relax?
Can he have time to listen/see DVD's of productions like Lully's "Persee"....as I know he does love the genre....?
Can he listen to an organ-Mass of Couperin without wishing he was playing it himself?
Did he ever wish he had a better singing voice himself...and does he miss the "flacum" voice of his younger years ?
Does he ever look back on his youth, and put a perspective on the fleeting years and hard work throughout his Priesthood?
What was the most enjoyable experience he can remember
in relationship to his Priesthood calling?
Who are his most favorite acquaintances...
and if he could be doing anything he wished at this particular moment...what would that be?

What does he miss most from his home in Pentling?
And why does not Georg live there, now that he is retired, instead of his (Georg's attached on both sides) impersonal home in the town of Regensburg?
Does he ever contemplate being able to go down to "der Strand" in solitude?

What does he think of mass media today?
What would he recommend to young people looking for
relaxation and peace of mind?
What would he tell young people afraid of our earth's future?
Does he really miss having a warm kitten on his lap, and a good novel to muse upon?
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Many of the questions asked here have their answers in "Salt of the Earth". You must read it. Here are some of the things I can remember that are written therein:

The 2 books he would take onto an Desert Island...would be:
De civitate Dei of St.Augustin, and the one of St. Bonaventure [outside of the Bible].

His favorite novel is "Steppenwolf" of Hermann Hesse.

Our Papa always loved to write and express himself. Even as a young boy, he would write poems, stories and essays on all kind of subjects!

As a child, he said sights made the biggest impression on him. That is why he wanted to emmulate the house- painter after that painter painted a wall in his early home! That it was the purple garbs of a Cardinal that impressed him next, was also significant only in that the grandeur of his outfit he found impressive at that early age!
He never had a knock-down "mystical" experience which determined his fate to become a Priest....He said he secretly wanted to write and teach. As a priest, there was his opportunity!

When Papa was in Seminary, young men and women were thrown together in very close quarters.
It made him question the possibility if he could live the principles of "celibacy"....leaving us the obvious understanding, he found at least, if he did not consider having a family, some young ladies were attractive to him....Ofcourse we know his love for Christ eventually won him over; and by 1950, he no longer found that an obstacle at all, and he could honestly say, that by then, he was determined to be that priest.
As as assistant to the regular Parish priest, he taught three children's classes at least 14 hours per week (not counting the hours of preparations for each). That was only a small, but great, part of his work load, where he found he had to make wedding arrangements, prepare funeral masses, give family consultations, and prepare for all the Parish Masses. He would ride his bike many times right into the heart of Munich. (Remember the picture that was posted of the very young Fr. Joseph Ratzinger by his bicycle?) That is where he learned to "talk to children". He realized he loved teaching the children! He always wanted to be a teacher; as a theologian, he was able to fulfill that wish while being a priest as well.

As far as Fr. Hans Kng goes, Papa never stopped being his friend! Their biggest "breech" was not from his hand; but by his predecessor in the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith...because Hans Kng did not believe in Papal Infalliability, irritating Jean-Paul II. But up until his Rome appointment, even as late as 1982, they met together regularly.
As for Kng's censure from teaching "Catholic" Doctrine, Cardinal Ratzinger felt this was only a way to enable Kng to freely develope a Catholic-theology of his own, unrestricted from the confines of Church Papal-Doctrine.
He still thought Kng possessed many admirable traits! (So he said to Peter Seewald.)

The house of Papa's youth, which he loved the most was constructed in 1726, and needed many repairs. But he loved the warmth of the house and was happy in it; despite the many roof-leaks! He was 1/2 hour away from the city near Austria; and the family was always involved in music....

His father and mother married late in life...hence only 3 Children resulted...Joseph was born when his father was past 50! But also when Joseph was still quite young, his father was forced to retire. This allowed Joseph to go on many walks and hikes with his father, inwhich he grew to love him alot.
But, his Mom, had to go back working as a part-time cook.
But her skills as a cook helped in another way as well: She made all the family's soap supply.
Also, the house had no running water, and all the water for the house, his mother had to carry in from the well. OUTSIDE!

Our Papa was 6 weeks in an American prison-of-War camp
(May 28th 1945) after he was captured on the Hungarian border. He had to sleep on the bare ground in uncomfortable, over populated tents...as the American Occupational forces were unable to give proper care to the innumerable prisoners under their care! (Papa had been a trajectory site-engineer for artillary shelling in his short span with the German Lftanze.)
When the news came that the War was over, there was not so much great shouts of joy, although everyone seemed relieved;...because of the rumor that now the Americans would be fighting the Russians...And, that the prisoners of war would be drafted to help fight in that conflict!...Luckily, it did not turn-out that way; and Joseph was released!