A dead man washed up on the beach this week. He’d been out there a long time. It was those big waves, I think. The ones that scare me. And that current, now pulling north and at places out. And those holes in the seabed, hidden from view—step into one of those and you’re suddenly swimming, and the current is pulling, and maybe you’re gone.
I’ve never really been afraid of the sea. Not until now. Not at Humboldt, when I regularly ventured out alone on my surfboard a quarter-mile off Moonstone Beach, to float and bob upon the glossy, opaque, cold surface, rising and falling atop great swells born mid-ocean, enormous lines sent forever forward to assault the earth. Not even at Goleta, where I often went out alone with my mask and fins to skirt the far edges of the great beds of kelp offshore, gliding silent and deep, holding my breath down there by myself at depth, clinging to a sharp rock ledge, with the entire ocean piled above and squeezing me downward and in. Nor even in Japan, a place where everyone is instinctively afraid of the sea, where I sometimes swam alone in summer out to the great typhoon barriers off Mochimune, a giant seawall protecting that shore from the storms marching through the deep waters of Suruga wan; swimming to the great piles of concrete jacks the size of trucks, all jumbled and connected and arranged; sticking up and out of that dangerous sea, forming dark caves and crevasses and a catacomb-like slippery maze to scramble and overcome before I could climb up the side to sit atop a solitary tall pillar; all naked and wet and dripping, perched high upon the weather-side facing out and away, a place looking far, where no one really wants to see.
But now, no more. And thank goodness...
I’m genuinely glad those younger, more reckless days are done. I’ve had my fill of them it seems. Or maybe I’ve instead simply reached some limit. I don’t think I’m afraid of death. But I sure do enjoy being alive! And I’m no longer strong like before. And it’s reckless to keep on tempting fate. I’ll think today, and in future, about that man washed up on the beach, and his family and their loss. And I’ll continue to temper my own exposure and risk, watching and enjoying the sight of younger, bolder men out there in the deep. My own time at depth now seemingly passed.
☀️ THE GOOD LIFE CREED ☀️
The Good Life Meditation serves as a daily compass, orienting me towards personal objectives and principles essential for a purposeful existence within an indifferent universe. Further your understanding of The Good Life by visiting my website, GoingAlone.org, or delve into my book Going Alone—hardcover recommended. Get a signed copy here. 📚✍️
🎯 OBJECTIVES: 1. Be Always Ready to Die ☠️ 2. Make Good Use of Time and Resources ⏳🛠️ 3. Develop Good and Sound Life Principles 📜🦉 4. Cultivate Good Emotional Reactions 😌💡 5. Perform Good Actions 🤝✅ 6. Recognize True Limits and Opportunity 🚪🔍 7. One Thing Slowly 🐢🧘♂️
8. Maintain Balance ⚖️
📜 PRINCIPLES: 1. Principle of War ⚔️ 2. Principle of Reason 🧠 3. Homunculus 👤 4. Anchorhold ⚓ 5. Home of Good and Evil 😇😈 6. Principle of Purpose 🎯 7. Atomic Principle ⚛️ 8. Principle of Nature 🌳 9. The Pirate Ride 🏴☠️ 10. Principle of Maturity 🌱➡️🌳 11. Social Principle 🤝
12. Principle of Family 👨👩👧 13. Public Speaking 🗣️ 14. Temperance 🍷➡️💧 15. Life Will Not Go Well ⛈️ 16. The Horror Show 🎭😱 17. That Which Must Be Borne 🎒 18. The Feast of Offal 🗑️🍽️ 19. Distraction 📵 20. Agency and The Great Indifference ⚙️🌌 21. The Best Seat in the House 🛋️ 22. The Restless Man 👣 23. The Path of Wildness 🌲🛤️ 24. The Great Life Adventure 🗺️ 25. The Risk of Avoiding Risk 🎲 26. Sin and Damnation 😈🔥 27. Complete Oblivion 🕳️ 28. The Season of Philosophy 📚
29. Scriptwriting 🖋️📜 30. Bullseye Aim 🎯 31. The Uphill Climb ⛰️ 32. Arena and Utility 🏟️🔧 33. Nothing IS enough 0️⃣ 34. The Principle of Fun 🎉
35. Being Ready 🚀
🌄📚🚶♂️ Kurt Bell is a passionate explorer, dedicated family man, and author of books such as "Going Alone" and "No More Looking Out For Number One." Born in America in 1964, he integrates Stoic philosophy into his physical and philosophical journeys. Today's venture on The Path of Wildness embodies this harmonious blend of exploration and mindful living. While Kurt savors these moments and looks forward to future adventures, he remains ever prepared for life's end, ready to depart without a single backwards glance.
🌐 Website: https://goingalone.org
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/softypapa
📧 Email: dinnerbytheriver@gmail.com
👍 Support my endeavors on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/softypapa
My name is Kurt Bell
Learn more about The Good Life in my book Going Alone
Be safe... But not too safe.
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