To a man like no other.

May you find her, and walk through Venice once again.

Memento Mori

– a slave would whisper over the shoulders of a Roman general

According to Wikipedia, better source than most, speaks of it translating to “Remember (that you have) to die”. Can’t express enough love for this quote. Humbling mortals at the moment of their fleeting illusion of immortal glory.

Life is a game, that insane a man makes. The mortal coil breaks insanity. It frees those in suffering, and yet nowadays we daemonize it. I’ve lost a friend some weeks ago, just before I left these lines unwritten. He suffered and endured as it was asked of him, but fortunately peace was found.

Can’t say I’m the same man as before. Can’t say I didn’t curse the winds and all for this. He was a man unlike many. He was a Man(yes, with capital ‘M’). He was living History(also with a capital ‘H’). Unlike most, he achieved what he wanted of life, and must be satisfied to join his late wife. He never was quite the same, since her departure.

I can’t but speculate. I’d honestly wish to be able to talk with him about this whole affair. His perspective was quite unique. One might joke, he was impatient about Lent, and decided to skip the line. For Lent is when Christians have a little death. A death of self, of ego, a ruthless and brutal examination towards the expiation of sins, flaws, and other obstacles between human and God.

Lent is never easy, and isn’t meant to be so. Echoes from Socratics reverb through the chambers of memory. For those who don’t examine History, and above all their history, are cursed to repeat the same mistakes. The Ego however likes to play a trick, even when you try to do it. People like stories. It never is your fault, right? Rings a bell?

The unexamined life isn’t worth living.

– The most reasonable conclusion of Plato’s notes on Socrates

It has been quite a trip, since that fatidic day. We who must endure hold another dream. A dream of walking amongst that swamp of a city, which was dear to you, and try to find the city of the stories you once spoke of.

See you later friend, we’ll be telling jokes one day. For there’s always the reality of “Memento Mori”.