Candide ~~ "Committing To The Current"

Again, a month since I've written here? It seems crazy. So much has happened.

I'm now in portland, Sozo is cruising... His Spirit - I truly believe - is the only thing which will guide this thing to prosper -- for His kingdom purposes. When I'm engaged, apart from self, starting my days with Him, amazing things seem to happen... but the other days (there definitely are other days), it's uncanny how a fog seems to loom over the lighted hours. I don't like it... these fogs.. and in my bouncing around (which i'm all too familiar with in it's many forms) I know He won't give up on me, or this, using me to realize Goodness. Thirst. How long, oh my soul, will you put this on the side burner... with full knowledge of your captivity to it's path; a burden i'm thankful for.

I'm reading the book Candide, and really what got me to writing today is this book. I'm about half the way through, and I find myself engaged in a new way. Voltaire has his way with words, that even the most dull of situations can be colored with description enough to place the reader deep into the world illustrated. To this point that skill has described the most horrible evolution of a man through life's sufferings, beginning his earth's journey a noble, well admired man in a kingdom among kingdoms. Of course he falls in love, only for his love to be ripped away from him with the belief that it were for eternity. Still he searched for her.

Years later, through journeys of sufferings, he would - to his astonishment - find her alive... and well, alive. This was enough to draw thanks considering what they'd both been through, to now be re-united. Anyway, fate would lead them together through more suffering, and then to another separation... and it's in this gap - the thick of his search for her once again - that I find myself.

Candide finds himself in a foreign land, he would find out it's South America, and then peru. Him and his philosophical journeymen Cacambo, with one last breath in them - trapped in a land completely foreign to them - hope for something better... and upon finding a river, set afloat. "The two travellers had the courage to commit themselves to the current." I love that... especially for the land they would soon realize. The river would eventually claim their canoes and everything in them, and upon touching land they would find themselves in a country "cultivated as much for pleasure as for necessity. On all sides the useful was also the beautiful." The descriptions of this place are unreal... Gold, rubies, diamonds... everywhere. In first meeting the natives of the land, Candide realized their children to be "well brought up, since they are taught to despise gold and precious stones." They were not wealthy by their possessions... in fact the natives would laugh at Candide & Cacambo's reaction to their "yellow clay" which trumped the worth of all the "nations of Africa, Asia & Europe combined."

The people met their visitors (which they had never experienced due to the harsh surroundings) with splendor... feasts, clothing made of a thousand hummingbird's feathers, musicians by the thousands, goblets made of a single diamond to drink from... a crazy place of which Candide was soon to realize "is probably the country where all is well; for there absolutely must be one such place."

He found it:)

They stayed there one month before his desire to find his love pulled him out of paradise... but in his time there he learned their ways of peace. He learned they served one God, to think of there being more than one didn't make any sense to these people. "We are all priests" said an elder in the community... Candide wanted to know what they asked of their God to be so blessed... the elder's response was "we do not pray to Him, we have nothing to ask of Him; He has given us all we need, and we return Him thanks without ceasing." Perfect.

The king of the land was a humble man, adorned with all wisdom which reflected it in the majesty of his surroundings and his people; he accepted both visitors with all due honor and "received them with all the goodness imaginable".

This land was Voltaire's heaven... at least how I read it. And Candide would leave after just a month. And with the blessing and aid of the king, he and Cacambo would be given - what to the natives was worthless - one hundred sheep carrying the wealth of many kingdoms, setting out again to find his love. Idiot. ha

Well, one hundred sheep would turn into fifty, which would turn into twenty, then two... all but these two dying off - along with the wealth they could carry - somewhere along the journey. Bummer...

They would make it back to Europe, and the crazy events which would follow are well worth reading, but all that's important is that his wealth would fade, he would realize "how perishable are the riches of this world; there is nothing solid but virtue." And in remembering the beauty of the past world he was called family in for even just a month, the only thing remaining on his life's to-do list was to find Cunegonde, his chica.

I don't get it really yet, the ending is still 50 or so pages off, but why he would leave 'heaven' to pursue a woman on the other side of the globe not even knowing whether she lived or not -- no facebook in those days -- seems crazy to me. This depth of love, if it exists, is beyond me.

Their whole journey out of dark and into goodness started with them getting on the river, and "committing to it's currents". I understand that, going with the current of the river, not knowing whats around the next bend until you get there, it makes sense to me... and so in life.

I learn from Candide today to give thanks first... always.... for He has provided all we require (its so trueee)... to not fall into the lies of things associated with great wealth, for it soon fades, but joy and peace will remain... and the reliance on it can - as in his case - lead to ruin and suffering, yet again. Confronted with the "real" world after leaving paradise, Candide was hit by the "villainy of mankind presenting itself before his imaginations, in all its deformity, and his mind was filled with gloomy ideas." There is but one God... and for Him we live and give thanks for all provision

Anyway, a great book... check it out.

And the current which we should trust... I made a video of a river journey I had yesterday... an awesome expedition in new territory -- hard not to feel like candide, looking for "paradise" just 'round the river bend...

Click here for the video.

Later friends...

If you love the river...

You'll stick around, read and then watch the video at the bottom... ha

I've had quite the journey since I last wrote. Much to share, but whatever... this last weekend I went to Bend. I was meant to be there. The second day there I had one of the most profound river experiences I've ever had. I went down a section of the Deschutes with three friends... a hodge podge group from pasts presents and most likely futures... it was wonderful.

I made a video of the experience, it was the first time i've used this camera - a gift from my parents:) I stitched it with a song we randomly discovered minutes before putting on the river, it was a profound moment, and set the stage for what would be a spiritual experience for all floating that day.

From my perspective, you'll see all three in the beginning, and at some point going through the rapids all of them are out of their boat (can you spot it, first the kayak then the empty raft), and I witnessed this believing - at the point i'm sitting in the eddy after the first big wave - that the girl in the kayak was caught in a strainer river right or in serious trouble.. well, I would cross the river and see her clinging to the rock, can you see her?

How we got her out of the eddy (took an hour and a half.. kayaking back through rapid, hiking lava fields, ropes everywhere.. it was nuts) is after the fact... the profound moment of this whole experience was leading a group where in the middle of the rapid (three big waves right below the incident) you look back and see everyone bobbing in the river... if you're a river person, you can probably relate. It does something to a person, it's crazy... I put the song we loved to the video I took, it came out alright and I think conveys well what my mind and spirit were going through, first seeing her not get her roll up in practice, then going through the rapid and everything you hoped wouldn't happen does. The raft gets off line because they focus on the flipped kayak and they dump truck because of it.. everyone out of the boat. Then to see the boat fly by with both back in it, pheww... but where's the kayaker?? Anyway.. I think you might enjoy... it was a spiritual experience for all involved (rookie guide, first time rafter, young kayaker and myself) consider it a journey into my experience. my first video edit.. ha

Click here for the video **Watch in HD**

My journey has been sweet these past months... I hope to share more with -- whoever reads this crap -- in the future.

Good night friends..

luke