The price of witnessing the grandeur of the Great Mystery is the sacrifice of one’s ego.
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Life & Lessons
And it wasn't a pleasant or joyful feeling, but rather a journey of intensity that pushed the boundaries of how I understood the world and all of my failings in the attempt.
"It was a battle of egos to see who would get to die the most heroically."
"One chance before I just burst into a random dwelling and went to sleep, maybe waking up bloody, but alive."
This would be a protest of epic proportions. And then they announced the victory.
Another 60 or so miles and we’d be stranded in the middle of nowhere. That’s when I saw the bears in the middle of the road.
That's right. I had a companion, a destination, and a call to action. I felt like Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting, begging "Just one more hit! Just one more fookin' hit!"
Arrogance is an oily thing, greasing the passage of reality through the trembling fingers of people too afraid to wash it off.
Then put the car into gear, tires spinning as I sped toward the future and the common comforts of my home.
But as soon as he mentioned “muerte,” my kindness switched off and I grabbed my knife, my finger on the flicking mechanism, and turned to see a man with nothing to lose.
She tilted her head and her eyes began to widen, along with her smile, which slowly became more of a gesture of baring her teeth than it was a greeting.
It wasn’t about keeping up with those around us, but making sure we had what we needed, the rest going to friends, cold beer, and the big sky.
"For example, suicidal tendencies and despair don't lead to productivity."
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
I remember thinking "Goddamnit. I'm gonna miss women."
"After basking in one's own ignorance for long enough, it becomes a necessity to remind yourself of the familiar. C'est la vie."
And the steel mesh fell away, along with the room, leaving her growling, the quick rhythm and depth of it like claws ascending chakras. Then she spoke to me.
Hispanic television, man. It's a hell of a drug...
For some strange reason, I felt the rising tide of an LSD frenzy.
"She knew! Don't look at her!"
There’s a precious, gritty purity that comes from the pressure to ensure your own safety.