"Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse."
James Dean*****
Do you remember the scene in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", where John and Jane Smith fight it out, guns blazing against a dizzying array of hired gun men who want to destroy them for the crime of being in love with the enemy? As they prepare to face their death, Jane and John finally find in that moment the courage to say what's been haunting their marriage- it is their fear-fear of losing love- (not their lives- note- these are paid assassins after all.) But in that moment, Jane says to John that "There's nowhere I'd rather be, than right here, right now, with you" (or something to that effect, it's been a long time since I've seen the movie.) Then they burst into the middle of a firefight, guns pounding, feeling more alive than they ever have, fully prepared to die...and they don't.(Spoiler alert!-oh, a little late, huh?) But even if they had, what a great ending, huh?
The wives of ancient Romans, (Greeks? Spartans? old guys) had a saying when their men went off to war. Come back with your shield or on it. The Bible says if you live by the sword you will die by the sword, (or in this case, guns, uzis, rocket launchers- what have you). Me, seeing movies like that always kind of makes me want to run out and buy a gun, a motorcycle and a pair of leather pants. (Someday, I tell you- someday!*)
They make me want to go to Rio, dance the tango, and sleep with an activist named Enrique. (or at least...I think that's his name...maybe Ricky..-maybe not an activist!? Oh God, what if I sleep with a busboy named Ricky! I don't speak Spanish- I wont't be able to tell!!)
Ok -change of plans-maybe not Rio, but Paris...or Amsterdam or ....wherever I am right now. Maybe I (we- yes, we ,bucko, you're along for this ride too) should just live life to the fullest right where we are-be able to say to the people in our lives right now-that there's no place I'd rather be, than right here, right now...with you. (even without the leather pants.) It's not that I want to die in a blaze of glory ( although...) It's just that, yeah I wrote- "Life's a b****... but I should have added, "and a real wild ride...if you're doing it right." And for once, let's be specific-none of that "whatever is right for you" crap- I mean, really- honestly- does it make you joyful, excited, anxious, anticipatory and other adjectives like that there to be alive everyday? And if not, why? Don't be afraid to study the matter up close and personal. Study your issues, poke at them... and shoot them dead if they move. (Sorry, aggressive movies get me all riled up.) But seriously, deal with your issues- go to war with them.... and come back with your shield or on it. My issues with life bedevil me everyday, but only when I struggle with them do I find a few moments of clarity and peace. We will struggle until we die because "for us, the living" (sorry Heinlein!), life is the struggle. (The struggle is life? either way sounds correct to me. ) To love and live and "rage against the dying of [our] light." Be prepared in each moment to either live or die- never knowing which one it will be should make the next moment all the sweeter. It takes the proximity of death to make us feel most alive (perverted creatures that we are) and like an oncoming bus, we know it's coming and can't avoid it. But we can meet it head on (I know , the imagery there kind of sucks)- we can meet it head on and when it's our time, go into death gracefully, set for another adventure, if we've lived a lifetime of them in this one. So life can be a b****and then you die- but in between you can have a helluva lot of fun..if you choose. Be a warrior, go all out. Live life to the fullest-
live well, die well- but not before your time.
"Live fast, die old (still pretty!),
and outlive as many whippersnappers as you can"
Dee
*not sure which one I meant up there? "smirk"
I meant all of them, in no particular order
maybe pants first, then cycle, then gun
maybe
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