A short while later the boat’s motor started to expel a reeking cloud of black smoke. Silence descended, the roar of functional machinery fading out behind us.
“You’ll have to swim to shore.”
“And the piranhas?”
“Don’t worry about them.”
At that point in the story when you left the boat to swim to shore, this is what I heard :
Yes. Actually, he seemed pretty in touch with his surroundings. There was a power there I couldn't define, or disregard. It was an interesting experience.
THE JOURNEY OF LIFE: When we are young we feel that the path should be clear with no obstacles in our way. The only environment in the natural world where this would hold true is in an arid desert, devoid of all life. So the path disappears again and again from view. There will be many times when we simply do not know how to proceed, where to go. Again, these are the times when we push through despite the fact that we do not know where the path will lead us. These are the times on the journey of life where all we can reasonably do is to simply stand in the ground of our own life, our own being, without trying to abstract ourselves into a ‘better’ strategic future so that we don’t have to deal with the heartbreak of our lives; a vain attempt to escape the reality of our life. Life is complex. Each of us must make his or her own path through life. There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers. But, if we know exactly where we are going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we’ll see along the way, we won’t learn anything.
And as we get older, there comes a point in our lives when all we can reasonably do is simply stop and stand where we are and realize that we, ourselves, are the journey- that the mere fact that we sought a path, a way through the darkness is enough. There is beauty and courage in that; the fact that we tried to seek a way through the wilderness. The most important lesson here is that the journey or path, itself, is really the goal- not some faraway abstract destination in the remote future or lofty ideas of becoming ‘enlightened’.
That was quick! I hope you don't mind all the Cosmik Debris that I keep on sending you.
You are a good person Walter, and I appreciate the fact that you are an authentic person, Colin
How interesting! It must be fascinating to connect with people who are so different than yourself. I can't wait to hear more.
I keep wanting to go back to the Amazon. It's really an amazing place.
Good call not taking it. I’d be sketched out.
Yeah, it's one of those things where if your life seems to be more or less on track, don't take radical risks.
That made me laugh out loud
Thank you!
A short while later the boat’s motor started to expel a reeking cloud of black smoke. Silence descended, the roar of functional machinery fading out behind us.
“You’ll have to swim to shore.”
“And the piranhas?”
“Don’t worry about them.”
At that point in the story when you left the boat to swim to shore, this is what I heard :
https://youtu.be/E-sX2Y0W8l0?si=Z5s0u7kGJxHpAaOh
Haha, that's about right! It was a bit terrifying!
"You don't have any open cuts do you?" the guy asked.
Grrrrr.
The piranha bit made me laugh. That was good.
Thank you. That's the way these trips always seemed to go!
If he was taken hallucinogenic stuff four times a day, it's a miracle that he hadn't lost his mind by the time you met him.
Yes. Actually, he seemed pretty in touch with his surroundings. There was a power there I couldn't define, or disregard. It was an interesting experience.
THE JOURNEY OF LIFE: When we are young we feel that the path should be clear with no obstacles in our way. The only environment in the natural world where this would hold true is in an arid desert, devoid of all life. So the path disappears again and again from view. There will be many times when we simply do not know how to proceed, where to go. Again, these are the times when we push through despite the fact that we do not know where the path will lead us. These are the times on the journey of life where all we can reasonably do is to simply stand in the ground of our own life, our own being, without trying to abstract ourselves into a ‘better’ strategic future so that we don’t have to deal with the heartbreak of our lives; a vain attempt to escape the reality of our life. Life is complex. Each of us must make his or her own path through life. There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers. But, if we know exactly where we are going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we’ll see along the way, we won’t learn anything.
And as we get older, there comes a point in our lives when all we can reasonably do is simply stop and stand where we are and realize that we, ourselves, are the journey- that the mere fact that we sought a path, a way through the darkness is enough. There is beauty and courage in that; the fact that we tried to seek a way through the wilderness. The most important lesson here is that the journey or path, itself, is really the goal- not some faraway abstract destination in the remote future or lofty ideas of becoming ‘enlightened’.
Sounds like a missed (delayed, postponed?) opportunity.