Thursday, December 30, 2004

Climbing Ladders and Rubbing Bellies

Last night was our weekly movie night. It was my turn and I picked Jacob's Ladder, a movie I'd seen a long time ago and remembered as being good and creepy. It wasn't as creepy as I remembered, though it did have it's moments of surreal horror. It was also fairly philosophical about the nature of the afterlife and the soul's preparation for departure.
According to the flick, it's the inability to let go of earthly wants that condemns you to hell, while accepting death with serenity and being able to leave all the things you had and people you know behind is the road to heaven. Kind of a buddhist way to look at it I suppose, sounds a lot like nirvana. Clinging to wants and memories, even the good ones, leads to eternal torment.
There's alot of stuff I want right now, mostly immaterial but I'd be lying if I said it all was, and if the golden b.b. found me tomorrow, I'm not sure how much of that I would be able to let go of. There's alot of life I have yet to experience, and most of it I could live a decent life without, but would I be ok knowing I would never get the chance? I can't really say, I don't count myself among the wise.
It's probably best to not dwell on it too much. That makes living not much fun. It would help to be able to live everyday like it was the last. Take chance's, get messy, insert additional cliche. If I don't live that way, I know there are many things I would never do, and would regret. I must do one of Laird's secret missions today, for I may never get the chance again.

Yep.

I hope you've enjoyed this bit of Kerouacian flow of thought.

2 comments:

the crunchy one said...

what secret mission did you do? or am i not allowed to know?

Unknown said...

If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret.