Day 2 and 3: Continued
Is there a hereafter? To quote old Rock N' Roll NY DJ, Murray the K (no relation) "If you're not here after, what I'm here after, you'll be here, long after I've gone!" ok. This was back in the days of watching submarine races.
The conversations today have been pretty intense. Life is final. When You Die, you die. When someone dies, their soul lives on and comes back to you leaving clues. There must be something beyond. The assumption is in Judaism, there is no heaven and hell. It is just an assumption.It is vaguely referenced in the Bible. But this is not a discussion of religion.
This is a vibrant discussion of what we imagine as children, what we witness, what we fear, what we welcome and what we want to believe in. Sound tree-huggy? A little.
I won't go through the people we have lost. We each have beliefs where they go, if anywhere and if they do go somewhere, there's an iota of a chance we see them again. I'm on the fence here.
People use words like fate, karma etc. to explain circumstances. One is when something does happen and the other is what we hope comes to those who have behaved admirably or badly.
There is a Chinese curse that says: "may you live in interesting times." That is kind of like when people say 'Bless You' and it's not always said with the best intentions.
Sometimes it comes down to faith. The best line I have ever heard was written by Valentine Davies, based on the story he wrote for the 1947 film 'Miracle on 34th Street', with the same name, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Story.
The line goes: "faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to."
Ok, BK: Where are you going with this?
Part of this journey is to take stock of the final chapter which could very well last 30 years. 95 would be great, as long as I'm lucid, knocking back my martinis and watching Avengers XX11.
I don't expect an epiphany on this trip. Unless I see something.
Saturday and Sunday. Here is how my days went.
Saturday, I looked at my trip and I realized: this was not a journey..it was an agenda. Now, my friends are NOT agendas. They are friends. But my trip to explore became an itinerary. Every day had a plan, appointments. This was not the free form exploration I planned on.
Luckily, my dear friends in the Bay Area understood. Though I wanted to see them, I needed to be true to myself.
As a pr guy, I put it out there. And it was premature.
I reconfigured my trip in Saturday. If I was truly going to look for me, I needed to walk the walk.
So, I am now in Santa Barbara. Only passed through, never stayed.
It is wonderful. Had drinks at Bluewater Grill and dinner. Schmoozed at the bar.
met some nice people. a golfer from Central Coast and two sisters from the area.
Tomorrow, I have breakfast with an old friend who lives here. Not a detour. SB was always on my list. Then to Cambria to a town where everyone says: Cambria?! Love it.
The route has changed. Cambria, the Monterrey then..big detour to Yosemite. Have never been. My friend Glenn suggested a great place at the park and I got a rez.
Now, this tour is evolving ti what I originally planned,
My visit with my friend Meryl in Wooodland Hills was what I expected..and more.
My visit with my friends Ken and Randi were as warm and eye-opening as I expected.
For the next 6 days, I'll be alone. Not in a bad way. Just new people, new roads. I look forward to it.
When I finally go home, will I be better? No..different. More experienced. More tales. More memories. OK...MAYBE a little better. For me and those I love and know.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I'm stepping out.
The journey continues.
Later, dudes....
The conversations today have been pretty intense. Life is final. When You Die, you die. When someone dies, their soul lives on and comes back to you leaving clues. There must be something beyond. The assumption is in Judaism, there is no heaven and hell. It is just an assumption.It is vaguely referenced in the Bible. But this is not a discussion of religion.
This is a vibrant discussion of what we imagine as children, what we witness, what we fear, what we welcome and what we want to believe in. Sound tree-huggy? A little.
I won't go through the people we have lost. We each have beliefs where they go, if anywhere and if they do go somewhere, there's an iota of a chance we see them again. I'm on the fence here.
People use words like fate, karma etc. to explain circumstances. One is when something does happen and the other is what we hope comes to those who have behaved admirably or badly.
There is a Chinese curse that says: "may you live in interesting times." That is kind of like when people say 'Bless You' and it's not always said with the best intentions.
Sometimes it comes down to faith. The best line I have ever heard was written by Valentine Davies, based on the story he wrote for the 1947 film 'Miracle on 34th Street', with the same name, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Story.
The line goes: "faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to."
Ok, BK: Where are you going with this?
Part of this journey is to take stock of the final chapter which could very well last 30 years. 95 would be great, as long as I'm lucid, knocking back my martinis and watching Avengers XX11.
I don't expect an epiphany on this trip. Unless I see something.
Saturday and Sunday. Here is how my days went.
Saturday, I looked at my trip and I realized: this was not a journey..it was an agenda. Now, my friends are NOT agendas. They are friends. But my trip to explore became an itinerary. Every day had a plan, appointments. This was not the free form exploration I planned on.
Luckily, my dear friends in the Bay Area understood. Though I wanted to see them, I needed to be true to myself.
As a pr guy, I put it out there. And it was premature.
I reconfigured my trip in Saturday. If I was truly going to look for me, I needed to walk the walk.
So, I am now in Santa Barbara. Only passed through, never stayed.
It is wonderful. Had drinks at Bluewater Grill and dinner. Schmoozed at the bar.
met some nice people. a golfer from Central Coast and two sisters from the area.
Tomorrow, I have breakfast with an old friend who lives here. Not a detour. SB was always on my list. Then to Cambria to a town where everyone says: Cambria?! Love it.
The route has changed. Cambria, the Monterrey then..big detour to Yosemite. Have never been. My friend Glenn suggested a great place at the park and I got a rez.
Now, this tour is evolving ti what I originally planned,
My visit with my friend Meryl in Wooodland Hills was what I expected..and more.
My visit with my friends Ken and Randi were as warm and eye-opening as I expected.
For the next 6 days, I'll be alone. Not in a bad way. Just new people, new roads. I look forward to it.
When I finally go home, will I be better? No..different. More experienced. More tales. More memories. OK...MAYBE a little better. For me and those I love and know.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I'm stepping out.
The journey continues.
Later, dudes....
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