“I WRITE THESE WORDS IN REGARD TO ALL THOSE TIRELESS, DEDICATED, CITY-DWELLING OFFICE TYPES FROM GENERATIONS PAST, THOSE WHO SET OFF TO WORK WITH THE MOON STILL HIGH AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL THE MOON’S RETURN. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MOST OF THEM LIVED FINE, CONTENTED LIVES, BUT I WOULD ALSO IMAGINE THAT SOME DID NOT; THAT SOME OF THEM YEARNED TO SING BUT CHOSE TO TALK; YEARNED TO DANCE BUT CHOSE TO WALK, YEARNED TO BE WILD BUT CHOOSE TO BALK. THEY ALL FACED A DECISION, AND THEY DECIDED TO USE THEIR LIVES TO CREATE THE THREAD USED TO WEAVE TOGETHER THE FABRIC OF POLITE SOCIETY, A SOCIETY THAT SOMEONE LIKE ME RELIES ON EVERY DAY, NOT BECAUSE I HAVE CHOSEN TO USE MY LIFE TO ADD TO THE SIZE OR STRENGTH OF IT, BUT BECAUSE I’VE CHOSEN TO USE IT TO TEST THAT FABRIC’S STRENGTH AND TO FRAY IT AT ITS EDGES.
WITHOUT THE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES THEY SET FOR ME, I MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN WHY – AND HOW – TO REJECT THE COMMON JOURNEY THEY TRAVELLED. I WOULDN’T HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF VENTURING OUT INTO THE WILD AND LEARNING THE MAJESTY OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE SOLACE OF THE MEADOW, OR THE LUSTY WHISPER OF THE LONELY HIGHWAY. I WOULDN’T HAVE GRASPED THE SEDUCTIVE POWER OF ORIGINAL THOUGHT, THE MERIT OF ECCENTRICITY, THE BENEFIT OF SOLITUDE, THE PERIL OF CONFORMITY, THE GLORY OF ROMANTICISM, THE COST OF OBLIGATION, OR THE LOFTY, HIGHLY-REFINED LUXURY OF FORMING MY LIFE’S WORK AROUND THE QUESTION “FOR WHAT PURPOSE?” RATHER THAN, “FOR HOW MUCH?”
IT IS MY HUMBLE HOPE THAT ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO TAKES A LOOK AT MY LIFE WILL KNOW HOW KEENLY AWARE I AM OF THEIR COLLECTIVE SACRIFICE. I ALSO WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I INTEND TO HONOR THAT SACRIFICE BY CHASING AFTER ALL THE MYSTICAL MYSTERIES THEY CHOSE TO TURN AWAY FROM, THE ONES A HEAVENLY MUSE HAS SEDUCED ME WITH, THE ONES THAT ONLY COME TO LIGHT UNDER THE GLOW OF A PECULIAR MOON. IN OTHER WORDS, I WILL USE MY LIFE TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO LIVE, BY LIVING IT IN PRECISELY THE OPPOSITE WAY ALL OF THEM DID; BUT I WILL DO SO WITH A LOVING HEART AND WHILE DRINKING DEEPLY FROM A CUP FILLED WITH WARM, DELICIOUS, HEARTFELT, GRATITUDE.”
