Travels with Ale: There’s a whole lotta shakin’ going on! (Part I)
Ale & I woke up in amazing moods this morning, acknowledging the delightful two weeks we just spent in Gouves (on the northeast part of Crete). We were slightly sad that we were going to leave this paradise to move to the northwest part of Crete.
We were in the middle of passionate, chandelier-monkey-sex, when the room started to vibrate and then shake violently. I was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of joy, bliss, & pride that finally, after so many years of effort & practice, my love-making was making the earth move for my one and only love, wife, and spiritual partner. As I was riding this wave of ecstasy that grew larger and larger with the shaking of the room, I was suddenly snapped out of my reverie when Ale dug her nails deep into me and screamed: It’s an earthquake!
Well, as you can imagine, that was a major buzzkill. The fact is, I at first never even considered the danger of a major earthquake or the consequences of a potential tsunami (we were very close to the ocean), but rather, was completely focused on and devastated by the fact that I was not personally the cause of the shaking earth. Lessons learned:
I. There is an entire universe in our heads at the subconscious level that defies logic, intelligence, & maturity, and is beyond our rational control. Here are two examples, the first is quite flattering to me, while the other is a massive blow to my ego:
A) When it really struck home that we were potentially in the midst of a potentially devastating earthquake, I immediately sprung to action. Ale was starting to panic and without a single thought, it was clear that I would rather stay there and die than leave her behind. It’s certainly easy to say those words, but it’s precisely in such a moment where one’s true nature emerges. It’s one of those split-second decisions of whether or not to throw yourself in front of your loved one who is being shot at. You can say whatever you want, even that you would not do it. However, at that precise moment, your true colors will emerge spontaneously and without any consultation with your free will.
B) In the same vein as the first example, where one’s action or thought has nothing to do with volition, one’s true colors surface. I could certainly console myself with the notion that it’s just “a man thing,” but ultimately: How embarrassing & truly pathetic of me to have the thought, even if for a fleeting split second and involuntary, that I could make the earth move! Beyond pathetic!
The good news was that only one person on the entire island of Crete died as a result of the earthquake (not so good for that poor soul, but my intent is to say that it could have been a major tragedy for many more people), and after a few hours, life slipped back into its groove. Life was again delicious.
It reminded me of the great Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski, whose book “Another Day of Life” captivated me and left a very strong impression on me. He was unlike other foreign war correspondents who all huddled in a hotel very far away from the battle zones and collected news from the distance. It was conjectured that he must have had a secret death wish because he always reported from the front lines and was face to face with death on many occasions. In “Another Day of Life” he recounted many of these stories, but the anecdote that is relevant here is his description of being on the West Bank of Israel during the 1970’s, a time that was marked with atrocious violence in the Middle East and Israel. He described the luscious cafés where people sipped their cappuccinos as though nothing were happening despite the sounds of bombs flying through the sky from the Golan Heights and exploding nearby. Even in such a preposterous situation, life has a way of finding its groove!
The author was born in Haiti and has lived in New York City for the past 54 years. He is a practicing emergency physician who has dedicated his life to the healing arts and the exploration of Consciousness and creativity. He just self-published his second novel “Love in the Time of Coronavirus: 20/20 in 2020” on Amazon. His first novel was “The Twin Flames, the Master, and the Game,” & is also available on Amazon.
Check out my website: RichardLanoix.com
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