Neanderpundit

A few days ago, I sat to dinner with Kim and Connie, and Bob K and his lovely wife, and the Ogwife and child.

If you ever have a chance to do so, do this. A rare treat.

Now: Kim’s quote of the day came from that meeting. MY quote of the day was as follows, from James Burnette. in coments to that post:

If Assholes were fuel, gas would be about 5 cents a gallon

In “Naked Lunch” Bill Burroughs speaks of the Algebra of Need. yeah, yeah, I know, all the people who are “serious” readers dismiss Burroughs out of hand- but if you can wade through the BS there are some incredible core truths.

The Algebra of need, acording to Burroughs, involves letting the addict, once addicted, know that the supply is always short. While, at the same time, making sure the supply never completely dries up. the addict will do anything, everything, to satisfy that need.

While physical hunger is certainly not the same as heroin addiction, some of the same components apply. For the past couple of weeks I have been hungry- truly,l really physically hungry. Not “Boy, I could sure eat something” hungry, more ‘i think I’m going to lose conciousness in a couple minutes” hungry. I did it to myself, of course, out of choice. I had a reason, and I stuck to the plan. A huge portion of the world’s population feels that pain every day, but unlike me, they didn’t have a full refrigerator to go back to, a clean water supply to even fill their bellies with safe water.

Hunger does a few things for you. It’s the reason most ascetes practice fasting, it’s the reason most deeply spiritual groups deny themselves food. Hunger sharpens your senses, and makes everything more intense. Hunger, prolonged hunger, bonds you more clearly with your creator, if you have a strong relationship already.

Hunger eventually drives you nuts, if you let it. I’m lucky, in that while I am hungry-m and crave food now, as never before, I have no possibility that I can eat at the level I once did. And I will be able to eat what I need to live and be healthy.

being hungry this last couple weeks- even though my hunger was nothing compared to the way the truly hungry live- has given me back some of the resolve I’ve lost in the past. I have a clearer focus on my priorities and a pretty clear path ahead of me. I have certain things I must do to improve my life and my family’s life, and I will do them. it has reminded me of a lesson I learned long ago- You cannot mold others to be what you feel is correct. You cannot force faith into a container of your own design. You cannot possibly understand God’s creation. The best you can do is to try to understand why people differ from you. You have to let your faith take the shape it takes on it’s own. You have to understand that God’s creation is whole and self contained, and no amount of wishing on your part will make it be what you want it to be. You have to allow the Creator to guide you and you have to be receptive to Him. With the Creator at your shoulder, who can possibly be against you?

I believe that a lot of athiests/agnostics understand this better than many people who call themselves Christians.

Cue willy

A quick overnighter to check on a system and back home again. Feels great to be in motion