An Interesting Visit.

We had a flying visit from an old friend yesterday. He’s an amazing man, probably the most interesting person I know, possibly that I’ve ever met.

At one point we were alone and the subject of Israel came up and to be fair - I was the one who brought it up. He knows what my thoughts are about Israel, his are very different - almost diametrically opposite in fact! 

What is fascinating about him, is that he is able to express his opinion without prejudice and totally without emotion entering the space. His love of life is contagious, he has learned the hard way what is important. His total lack of fear and embracing of Love is palpable. That allows a special communication to take place between us. It is like our differing opinions didn’t really matter and something transcended the meaningless triviality of ego.

Maybe for the first time I was knowingly in the presence of an enlightened person. Perhaps not totally enlightened, but well on the way.

His visit has me thinking.

We had a flying visit from an old friend yesterday. He’s an amazing man, probably the most interesting person I know, possibly that I’ve ever met.

At one point we were alone and the subject of Israel came up and to be fair - I was the one who brought it up. He knows what my thoughts are about Israel, his are very different - almost diametrically opposite in fact! 

What is fascinating about him, is that he is able to express his opinion without prejudice and totally without emotion entering the space. His love of life is contagious, he has learned the hard way what is important. His total lack of fear and embracing of Love is palpable. That allows a special communication to take place between us. It is like our differing opinions didn’t really matter and something transcended the meaningless triviality of ego.

Maybe for the first time I was knowingly in the presence of an enlightened person. Perhaps not totally enlightened, but well on the way.

His visit has me thinking.

Go on Stan, I'll bite....

"His visit has me thinking."

What are you thinking ?

Hi Tim 

Thinking about what makes people ‘spiritual’. What’s really important in life. What makes my friend unusual? Is it just because I see him as being very different to ‘normal’ friends that I think of him differently? And so on.

That sort of thing.

People quite often read my book and say to me “ you’ve had an interesting life”. 

I would say my life has been a 2 or 3 out of 10. I’d put my friend at a 8 or 9. Don’t know if this makes sense, but it’s how I feel.

Hi Tim 

Thinking about what makes people ‘spiritual’. What’s really important in life. What makes my friend unusual? Is it just because I see him as being very different to ‘normal’ friends that I think of him differently? And so on.

That sort of thing.

I don't really have a very good answer to any of those, obviously not the third one, Stan. I don't personally like belonging to any "club" with a badge, spiritual or not. I think it's good to be a spiritual person but best not to tell anyone.
  
I once told an acquaintance that I was spiritual (Man !). What I meant was that I wasn't religious but I thought there was a meaning and purpose to life. He suggested I purchase a cassock and surplice. I suggested he fuck off. 

Not very spiritual of me was it.

People quite often read my book and say to me “ you’ve had an interesting life”. 

I would say my life has been a 2 or 3 out of 10. I’d put my friend at a 8 or 9. Don’t know if this makes sense, but it’s how I feel.

I think you're being harsh on yourself there. What is an interesting life ? You've flown passenger jets, I think that is very interesting and quite something.

I think you're being harsh on yourself there. What is an interesting life ? You've flown passenger jets, I think that is very interesting and quite something.

I was thinking of you when I said that “people quite often say”. I agree that I haven’t had a boring type of life in general, yet when I compare my own memorable events with his, my life kind of falls down. I’m not saying that I would have chosen a different life, I would guess he would agree. I don’t think I’d like to have lived his life, but with both of us at age 57 I would say he’s been ‘lucky’ to have survived as he has done. 

We met aged 20 when we drove alternate weeks to meet our flying instructor at various airfields around the area where we lived. He had just completed his national service and we worked at the same place without ever seeing each other. He saw action during his time in the army and after during camps the South Africans had to go to for some years after the two they served. Apart from action, he was nearly killed in a military parachuting incident, this put an end to his flying ambitions but he was still passed fit for military duty! 

Later on we moved independently to Pretoria where he got robbed at gunpoint by someone he probably worked with. All this before aged 24, his excitement hadn’t even really begun.

I really wish I could write his autobiography but as he says, he wouldn’t want it published until many years after he and his family had long since passed on.

He’s no bullshitter.

I was thinking of you when I said that “people quite often say”. I agree that I haven’t had a boring type of life in general, yet when I compare my own memorable events with his, my life kind of falls down. I’m not saying that I would have chosen a different life, I would guess he would agree. I don’t think I’d like to have lived his life, but with both of us at age 57 I would say he’s been ‘lucky’ to have survived as he has done. 

We met aged 20 when we drove alternate weeks to meet our flying instructor at various airfields around the area where we lived. He had just completed his national service and we worked at the same place without ever seeing each other. He saw action during his time in the army and after during camps the South Africans had to go to for some years after the two they served. Apart from action, he was nearly killed in a military parachuting incident, this put an end to his flying ambitions but he was still passed fit for military duty! 

Later on we moved independently to Pretoria where he got robbed at gunpoint by someone he probably worked with. All this before aged 24, his excitement hadn’t even really begun.

I really wish I could write his autobiography but as he says, he wouldn’t want it published until many years after he and his family had long since passed on.

He’s no bullshitter.

Hang on a minute, Stan, you're telling us he got robbed at gunpoint ? You're ruining the story for my wife. Why the hell didn't he karate kick the gun out of the robber's hand ? What kind of tough guy is he ?

Hi Tim 

Thinking about what makes people ‘spiritual’. What’s really important in life. What makes my friend unusual? Is it just because I see him as being very different to ‘normal’ friends that I think of him differently? And so on.

That sort of thing.

You weren’t thinking that you might be wrong over Israel?

You weren’t thinking that you might be wrong over Israel?

Who is right ? And do you really want to get into that ?