Many of my friends and family has perished DIY style. I might deserve a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the person with most suicides in my social circle. I’m not about to do that. That would deprive the world of a taxpayer. But I find it useful from time to time to write a final note, just to make status. It might even enhance my thrill of living, serving as a meaningful reminder. Forgive me for morbidly sharing this with you. And if you can not forgive me: Fuck you – and read it anyway.
I’m out. You are on your own now. Take good care of eachother and the world. The world is a good place. In spite of all your real and imagined worries, it’s a pretty amazing place. Places and species will disappear, new threads will emerge, and you’ll forget to notice when old problems are solved. You will find solutions to most of it, and some of it you will learn to deal with. In the half of century I have lived the world has been threatened by extinction ten times. Every time it was a false alarm. There are issues. They may seem overwhelming, if you try to take them all on in one go. Don’t do that. You’re only a human. Think about one issue at a time, and see if you can improve the situation just a little. That’s all anyone can do. You are the adults now. I’ve done my part. I’ve reached the top shelf, I’ve held the door, and I’ve gave a good hug to someone in need of a good hug. You must provide when there’s a request. When there are no more requests, you don’t have to provide anymore. Half a century of mostly good times. I’ve raised some really good girls, I’ve given some comfort, and I have seen a good part of the world. That is more than I could ask for. Furthermore I have had good company on the tour, received a lot of comfort, a lot of laughs and a lot of love. For that I thank you all.
Life is not easy. I don’t have the slightest clue why anyone would expect it to be. I don’t know why anyone would complain about that simple fact. Life is joyful and demanding; life will give, and life will take away. You have the ability to smile, growl, laugh and cry. You will need them all. You will use all your emotions, all your taste buds, all your senses, and waste a lot of time sleeping, to get through life. Everything could be better, and everything could be worse. Don’t put it into perspective, don’t compare, just deal with the cards you have been given. If you are not honest, in your words, your appearance and your mind, you are just cheating yourself – and distancing yourself from the world. That’s wasting your life. And the world. The world is a good place. In spite of everything you would like to improve, the world is a pretty fucking amazing place. You might look at the famine in a war torn place, or the shape of your nose, and think “this is wrong!” It’s not wrong. It’s just the way it is. Improve the first, with whatever you can do, and accept the latter. Then you have done your best. Try – just try – to make the world a slightly better place tomorrow than it was yesterday. Sometimes it’s in vain. Sometimes it’s misguided. But you did what you could do. If I could plant a tree now, knowing that I would never see it grow, I would plant it anyway. Every kind action you perform will give you pleasure, somehow. For the millions of years before I was born I was not in pain. So I know I will not be in pain in the millions of years that will follow when I’m gone. The few years life will provide for you, between your birth and your demise, you should fill with experiences. See, hear, smell, taste and achieve as much as you can. Be kind, because it feels good, and be a little selfish – reserve a piece of the pie for yourself. Create something, because every achievement is a pleasure. If you like to dance you should dance because it’s a pleasure, even though it doesn’t leave a lasting achievement. Receive every advice with a grain of salt. Remember that most people are just as confused and misguided as you. You will understand this if you read a lot of books about history, science, philosophy and people. That will make you smart. But most importantly it will help you develop a sense of humour. That is important. Laugh. Laughing is the best way to cope with the inconsistencies of life. Laugh when it’s appropriate, but most of all laugh when it’s inappropriate. Nothing will improve if you don’t challenge it. And nothing will get better by being paralyzed by it. Making new discoveries is fulfilling. Know that it is time-consuming and a road of a thousand detours. But in the end it will be worth it. And some day you will have fund memories of the process. The most satisfying thing you can do with your life is to create new life. That too is a rollercoaster. Life-changing revelation, joyful expectation, exhausting development, excruciating pain, and overwhelming pleasure. For this new human you will need all your emotions, more than ever.
Don’t fear death. It will happen one day, maybe when you least expect it. When it does it’s final, and there’s nothing you can do about it. But don’t waste your life worrying about it. That is fruitless and pointless. Do what you can to prevent it from happening needlessly early. Be healthy and safe. But be healthy and safe within reasonable limits, so you will not only be prepared to be held responsible for how you live, but also why you live. When you can no longer answer that question – why you live – the game is over. You can end it there, or you can find a new game. As long as you’re alive there are options. And this – my beloved friends – is my final statement. I’m out. But I will be back. Because as long as I’m alive there are options.