The Fidelity of Betrayal tour: Final Update
I am sitting in yet another airport, this time waiting to return home after my six-week tour around the US. It has been a powerful and expanding time, full of rich encounters, funny stories, touching moments and, of course, airports. It would be so hard to do justice to what has taken place since I last checked in (let alone to adequately describe the whole time). It has involved storytelling, lectures, talks, discussions, poker games, witches, book signings, bank vaults, the odd beer here and there and, most importantly, new friends.
I guess, as I sit here reflecting upon the last month and a half, one of my thoughts concerns the way in which travelling for a long period gifts one with a profound sense of temporality. Instead of friendships lasting years they are forged and finished in a matter of hours or days. While I am sure I will see many of the people I have met again the fact remains that such travelling involves facing the cycle of life and death on speed. While this could lead one to despair I have came to find it healing and beautiful in its own way. I think I will return home with a renewed understanding of how this little life of ours bears witness to many births and testifies to countless little deaths. I guess this can be depressing to those who are witnessing the birth of something new and wonderful, but on the flip side it may offer a little solace to those who are facing the end of something that had once been life giving.
While I have had the chance to address large numbers of people in the last six-weeks, the other thing I realise is that there was only ever one person I was addressing in all the talks, lectures and interviews: that person being myself. The result is that this has been a time of personal refocusing and recommitting. Regardless of whether or not anyone else has been challenged by what I have presented, I have been able to challenge myself.
Anyway, the plane is almost here, so I had better settle up and move on… who would have thought the revolution would involve so many flights.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
You touched and challenged everyone who heard you. Peace and blessings to you, Pete. We’ll miss you over here.
December 9th, 2008 at 8:42 am
“You touched and challenged everyone who heard you.”
Yeah, you see? It’s the best to be humble but sometimes I feel you are a little too humble!
You are dead (ahem, pardon the pun) right about life having many little births and deaths. We’re all on the way out whether we like it or not – from the moment we are born! (Hahaha…I enjoy being deliberately macabre sometimes!)
A compatriot of yours, the late (amazing) John O’Donoghue, has some really helpful stuff to say about how, in the midst of life, we are continually close to death and vice versa – pretty much. (Probably not doing the guy justice here). Death seems to be a big fear for many (even those who would claim to believe in an afterlife) but John clarified for me that life is indeed spattered with ‘little deaths’. This can make the prospect of a ‘big death’ (the end of one’s physical life) seem much less daunting.
Having said all that; do us a favour and get home safely, eh! x
December 9th, 2008 at 9:47 am
“facing the cycle of life and death on speed”
This is what life is. It has its own mysterious chemistry. It offers an endless enter and exit points. Some we love, some we hate but as we look back we always are deeply invigorated by the outcome. One thing is sure: we can’t really control it. We can maybe tweak the moves of the dance, embrace the person we can dance with, but music is out of our control. The sooner we let go of our desire to be in control the sooner we can enjoy the rhythm of life.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:45 am
The revolution may not be televised, but it will be limited to two pieces of carry-on.
December 9th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
What about talking to God?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Forgot to say; I wanna hear more about the witches!
December 13th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Some friendships can be quickly forged without having to finish fast. Though the form is less ideal, at least it’s possible in our time – I offer that without overlooking your point, or your experience. That you continue choosing to receive each person/place with such openness may be a bit of a miracle. Yet the possibility of having missed them out of defense of having to let them go?… I guess each one decides whether it’s worth it. As for me, those small full moments feel like gifts, and tilt the scale toward the universe being a pretty good place to live.
I rejoice in your conviction of yourself! Of all the rest of us, why should only you escape it?
I always find it funny when I experience that myself. But I love that we’re in ongoing conversion…
Welcome home…