Share an anecdote around the campfire

[painBody]

It's far past the mortal mans (or womans) bedtime ... we're in the middle of nowhere ... perhaps some place like the Schwarzwald (Black Forest in Germany) ... and all you have around you are: your favorite fellow forum members, your drink/drug of choice, your thoughts (uh-oh), a clear sky full of other worlds, and last but not least, a roaring campfire. The night is young, the air is crisp, and the mood is calm. Share with us, an anecdote from your life ... one that is funny, insightful, nostalgic, touching, entertaining, or any combination thereof.



In college, I was hanging out with a bunch of friends, one evening ... most of them belonged to a Russian rock band. We were at the cafeteria and waiting in line to get some snacks. Alex, pointing at a muffin, looked at me and said, "A plate of food will never say "no" to you." I can't remember for certain, but I think that his comment about food followed a conversation about college girls

[rachMiel]

The air is crisp and breezy with an edge of winter to it ... nice to sit around this warm campfire late in a Schwarzwald night and share stories.

I lived in the Schwarzwald (Freiburg) for several years back when I was a deutscher Student (Musik). I never once saw a cuckoo clock there, but heartily enjoyed the food and wines and beers from the area. Not having a car I didn't get up into the hills very often, but whenever I did I felt like I was driving through Disneyland: perfectly manicured forests, meadows, brooks. Kind of magical.

[painBody]

rachMiel - Wow, who would have guessed ?! You studied music in Deutschland ? Very cool. Nice picture, too ... thanks for sharing.

The closest I got to the Schwarzwald was Zurich and Munich. It was originally on our list, but then we added other countries and it got removed But in any case, that was just a day here and a day there. Nothing compared to spending years immersing yourself in the culture like you did.

What made you decide to study there ? Are you from Germany originally ?

[rachMiel]

rachMiel - Wow, who would have guessed ?! You studied music in Deutschland ?

Jawohl. Composition.

What made you decide to study there ? Are you from Germany originally ?

'Twas beauty drew me there. The music/culture/philosophy, the landscapes and old towns, and of course ... love. (We're still great friends.) I'm a Long Islander, grew up a few miles from Jones Beach. How about you?

[painBody]

Jawohl. Composition.

'Twas beauty drew me there. The music/culture/philosophy, the landscapes and old towns, and of course ... love. (We're still great friends.) I'm a Long Islander, grew up a few miles from Jones Beach. How about you?

Very nice. I would love to have an experience like that in Europe, esp. Germany.

I grew up in India, and came to the states at 18. Been here ever since ... different parts of California ... currently near Los Angeles.

[rachMiel]

Aha! Did you grow up in a strong spiritual family/environment? Religious?

[painBody]

Aha! Did you grow up in a strong spiritual family/environment? Religious?

That's actually a very good question. Hope you'll allow some verbosity, because this is not a yes/no answer But, it got me thinking about my parents, for sure ... I'm an only child. I was very close to my aunts and uncles (Dad's side) growing up, but we drifted apart after my move to the US of A.

My family is Hindu (I'm not, never considered myself one), but not fanatical about it ... yes, there is some idol worshiping and ceremonies and stuff, but it's not hardcore or in-your-face (never was). That's the religion part of the answer. Now, on to the more important part.

I think that, despite unfavorable life circumstances, I was blessed with very conscious parents. Examples of what I mean - they have always allowed me space to be myself and do what I wanna do, for the most part. They've guided me without requiring absolute compliance. When I told them I had just quit my well paying job, they said, "Ok. What's the plan now ?", as if I had just told them I'd caught a cold ... no big deal ! Of course they care about me and my well being, but they are quite well aligned with the now, so they don't complain and guilt trip me over my actions. They let me be me.

In fact, a huge catalyst in my own spiritual awakening, I think, occurred when they were visiting me three years ago. Having observed my violent anger, my father looked at me one day, and calmly asked, "Why do you constantly let external circumstances affect your inner state ?" That definitely woke me up.

So, to better summarize, my parents are quite conscious (compared to most), without really creating an identity for themselves as spiritual people. Their wisdom derives from their vast life experience and having modest means (as opposed to deriving from formal spiritual teachings). They're just really wise and humble people. They're the one good card I was handed when I came out of the womb. I started life with one good card, despite everything else.

Sorry for making you read all this, but I just couldn't justify a yes/no response to your question.

[rachMiel]

In fact, a huge catalyst in my own spiritual awakening, I think, occurred when they were visiting me three years ago. Having observed my violent anger, my father looked at me one day, and calmly asked, "Why do you constantly let external circumstances affect your inner state ?" That definitely woke me up.

Very cool! Papa teaching child truly important life lesson.

They're the one good card I was handed when I came out of the womb. I started life with one good card, despite everything else.

Wow ... it sounds like you've created quite a dark storyline around your life! Let it go?

[painBody]

Very cool! Papa teaching child truly important life lesson.
Wow ... it sounds like you've created quite a dark storyline around your life! Let it go?

Thanks for reading my story

About the dark storyline, I just meant that my form-based life is not a huge success. That's all.

Kannst du Deutsch sprechen ?

[rachMiel]

About the dark storyline, I just meant that my form-based life is not a huge success. That's all.

Success on whose/what terms?

Kannst du Deutsch sprechen ?

Ja. Du auch? Wieso ... ? Hast Du einige Zeit in Deutschland gewohnt?

[painBody]

Success on whose/what terms?

Well, I'm homeless, jobless, and broke. I sleep on a rock-hard marble bathroom floor and wake up 5 times a night because I've lost all fat from malnutrition and my pelvic bones hurt like hell from contact with the hard floor. If I get seriously ill in the middle of the night, there's no car, money, health insurance, or anyone to call. And if the person I live with wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and decides she's had enough of me, I'm out on the street. It's perfectly fine by me, but I still wouldn't call it a huge success

Ja. Du auch? Wieso ... ? Hast Du einige Zeit in Deutschland gewohnt?

Ein kleines bisschen, weil die deutsche Sprache ist Musik zu meinen Ohren Nein, nur eine Woche in Deutschland, im Urlaub.

For the record, I think you are one cool dude, rachMiel. I imagine having a cold beer with you and talking music (I make some music, too), German, and Germany, would be quite the occasion.

[kiki]

I was standing at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. It was a foggy night in the city, the streets were empty and it was late. She appeared out of nowhere and started talking to me as though we were already in the middle of a conversation. I don't think I'd ever seen her before, but the more I listened to her the more I realized there was something about her that I recognized.

Then it hit me, like when you step on a rake and the handle thwaps you right between the eyes. I'd known her before, alright, only in another place a long long time ago. Suddenly she was familiar to me as an old couch, but she looked like a chaise lounge to me. She was the kind of woman who could lie naked on a beach in Tahiti and all you'd be looking at was the shape of her fawn eyes as she dropped her lids over them. She didn't take my breath away, she put it back; I realized I hadn't been breathing right for a long time.

My only thought was she's so beautiful that it scares me. The funny thing is, while I listened to her I started to remember. Little pictures would drift into my mind:

There was a time long long ago on our own planet when we went floating in the wind pool, just the two of us, looking up at the red moons through the rain. And the time we stood in the white cloud tower, our robes blowing in the storm, and we promised to love each other forever and ever.

I felt her hand on my arm and she said, "Where did you go?"

Suddenly I remembered that horrendous battle on Andarus when they carried me away on my shield and she was crying. We took off as fast as we could after that; we had to get away from those electric guns. We kept on going and traveled to San Bartan on the desert planet and hid out - we took all of our stuff.

For several years we traded stolen water for gold. It was the kind of life that had an edge to it, but I got tired of killing informers. Then I got into some real trouble on Seaka 5 - I strangled the king. They locked me up for the night, and I lost my head in the village square in the morning. We kinda lost touch after that.

Although, I thought I saw her on the planet Chella once a few years later in one of those airtight rooms where they show pictures. But, by the time I got there she was already gone.

And then, during the years and years I was racing in space I...I just forgot about her, although she'd always been a mystery to me. I was so busy traveling from galaxy to galaxy I had no time for anything else. And then, finally, I came to this planet a few years ago. And if anyone had asked me I would have said I didn't know her, but I'd like to. I would have been telling the truth.

But, here she was now, standing in front of me, and I remembered our promise. I put my hands on either side side of her face and said, "Oh, I missed you, girl. It was too long a time to be away. But, here we are again. The traffic light has turned green; shall we cross over to the other side?"

She gave me a kiss and said, "Yeah, if we do it together."

And we did.

Edit: Story by Geoffrey Lewis.

[rachMiel]

Well, I'm homeless, jobless, and broke. I sleep on a rock-hard marble bathroom floor and wake up 5 times a night because I've lost all fat from malnutrition and my pelvic bones hurt like hell from contact with the hard floor. If I get seriously ill in the middle of the night, there's no car, money, health insurance, or anyone to call. And if the person I live with wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and decides she's had enough of me, I'm out on the street. It's perfectly fine by me, but I still wouldn't call it a huge success

If it's perfectly fine with you ... then it's all good, right? I used to yearn to be homeless ... not sure why, but it was a real yearning. I *totally* get the thrill of living on the edge. It's a great story!

[painBody]

kiki - Wow, since we're on a spiritual forum, I'm not sure how much of what you said is fiction and how much fact.

But, in any case, cool story ! Thanks for sharing

P.S. Is that woman your wife today ?

[painBody]

Well, I'm homeless, jobless, and broke. I sleep on a rock-hard marble bathroom floor and wake up 5 times a night because I've lost all fat from malnutrition and my pelvic bones hurt like hell from contact with the hard floor. If I get seriously ill in the middle of the night, there's no car, money, health insurance, or anyone to call. And if the person I live with wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and decides she's had enough of me, I'm out on the street. It's perfectly fine by me, but I still wouldn't call it a huge success

If it's perfectly fine with you ... then it's all good, right? I used to yearn to be homeless ... not sure why, but it was a real yearning. I *totally* get the thrill of living on the edge. It's a great story!

Like with anything else in life, it's great and it's not