20050203
embers - sandor marai
Konrad and Henrik:
From the first moment, they lived together like twins in their mother's womb. For this they had no need of one of those pacts of the kind that is common among boys of their age, who swear friendship with comical solemn rituals and the sort of portentous intensity invoked by people when for the first time they experience, in unconscious and distorted form, the need to remove another human being from the world, body and soul, and make him uniquely thers. For that is the hidden force within both friendship and love. Their friendship was deep and wordless, as are all the emotions that will last a lifetime. And like all great emotions, this one contained within itself both shame and a sense of guilt, for no one may isolate one of his fellows from the rest of humanity with impunity.
They knew from the first moment that their meeting would impose upon them lifetime obligations.
pp. 36-37
---
edinburgh, scotland
that postcard was sent to me by a stranger october of 2003, part of an international game of trading postcards from our present places of residence, started in march of 2003. i've only had the chance to send her a return postcard today. i took a pix of it, along with five others, to post online as part of the game's rules. "post the card online," the ringleader said, "so we can all share."
her dedication is the giddy voice of someone knowing that there lies no more strings attached beyond the card. in a moment of madness, i'm reminded of all the other times someone gave me something for free.
how come there aren't enough unconditional things around these days?
it's another thought i shove in the folds of my memories, one i can't answer because such things aren't asked for, they're given freely. i'm at a starbucks right now and on break from work, i will sign off, shut down my laptop, take my drink, and trudge anonymously back to my building, returning to an office full of people intent on the tasks immediately ahead of them.
my friend resa recently lamented the senseless running around that we all do. it isn't enough for her that life is made of little stops here and there, of little achievements and journeys larger than our own.
there is a heady ache to achieving vision, and it's worth having, costs and pain included. ¶ 2/03/2005 07:10:00 PM
From the first moment, they lived together like twins in their mother's womb. For this they had no need of one of those pacts of the kind that is common among boys of their age, who swear friendship with comical solemn rituals and the sort of portentous intensity invoked by people when for the first time they experience, in unconscious and distorted form, the need to remove another human being from the world, body and soul, and make him uniquely thers. For that is the hidden force within both friendship and love. Their friendship was deep and wordless, as are all the emotions that will last a lifetime. And like all great emotions, this one contained within itself both shame and a sense of guilt, for no one may isolate one of his fellows from the rest of humanity with impunity.
They knew from the first moment that their meeting would impose upon them lifetime obligations.
pp. 36-37
---
edinburgh, scotland
that postcard was sent to me by a stranger october of 2003, part of an international game of trading postcards from our present places of residence, started in march of 2003. i've only had the chance to send her a return postcard today. i took a pix of it, along with five others, to post online as part of the game's rules. "post the card online," the ringleader said, "so we can all share."
her dedication is the giddy voice of someone knowing that there lies no more strings attached beyond the card. in a moment of madness, i'm reminded of all the other times someone gave me something for free.
how come there aren't enough unconditional things around these days?
it's another thought i shove in the folds of my memories, one i can't answer because such things aren't asked for, they're given freely. i'm at a starbucks right now and on break from work, i will sign off, shut down my laptop, take my drink, and trudge anonymously back to my building, returning to an office full of people intent on the tasks immediately ahead of them.
my friend resa recently lamented the senseless running around that we all do. it isn't enough for her that life is made of little stops here and there, of little achievements and journeys larger than our own.
there is a heady ache to achieving vision, and it's worth having, costs and pain included. ¶ 2/03/2005 07:10:00 PM
