Today... wow... fuck, where do I start? Do I start with all of the meditation and crying? All of the psychadelics, the music, the meditation? The trip up to Dayton to search out for one specific monk? The river...
It's too much to talk about. Too much happened. You know know though, as much as I'd like to talk about some stuff, I choose not to and move on to Slow and Steady.
When I was traveling around Japan with a friend we'd drive off into the countryside and find hotsprings, great places to eat. Do stuff. My Japanese is very good after almost 10 years studying it, but there is still so much I don't know. So I get the translations wrong, but I wanted to remind myself about the tunnel.
The tunnel was a project by a local farmer in this small town. It was started with his sole purpose to provide the community with a new road, something that the community was wanting for years and years. But the problem was, there was a rock in the middle of the road where this proposed road would go. The farmer didn't let that stop him for bringing change to the people around him. He grabbed his tools after a lot of thought and set out to that rock. He chipped at it, but nothing happened. He chipped again and a small piece broke off and he smiled.
The villagers thought him crazy. This... FARMER... this peasant was going to sculpt a tunnel himself to make a road? People stayed away. No one helped. But the man trudged on, slow and steady. He did not falter, he did not stray, nor did he let what the villagers say about him. He trudged on, slow and steady. Whenever he had free time; he didn't have any wife. I mean, who would want to marry a crazy man?
It took him 20 years, but he eventually broke through the other side. I often sit in contemplation and I think about that story. I didn't tell it right, I'm sure. But that's not the point of it. Wether he's a farmer or a fighter, he broke through, slow and steady after 20 years of never doubting himself to the point of quitting or giving up. I wonder what that feeling would've been for him when he broke through on the other side and lit shone through onto him. That would of been the biggest mind explosion anyone could imagine. Then I wonder what that explosion would be like when enlightenment hits you. We all have bouts of enlightenment when that calm comes over us and there is nothing in our minds but there are smiles on our faces. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about an enlightenment that comes to stay for good.
I have no idea what is going to happen in the next few years. I know that the signs show me that there will be big things. But until then, I'm just going to trudge on, slow and steady.
Oh, and this is for you Thomas... don't forget you had a heart attack today when Keith Jardine liked about 15 of your pictures. Slow and steady, with little, massive victories that will accumulate and bring down the rain.
Coolest pic to date finished. Props to me artist Zelaluyolilelu.
