WHEN COWARDICE IS COURAGE

by Ray Jason

Some fictional philosophy...

 Dearest Sister,

          It happened on the fifth midnight raid.  It was on that mission that I “snapped.”  But that is definitely the wrong word.  Because what truly happened is that I finally “saw.”  My vision came into focus so suddenly and shockingly that it reminded me of lightning at night - instantly the flash reveals a startling landscape that only moments before had been stormy darkness.  But what suddenly came into view with brilliant luminosity was not “things” but an understanding of “how things work.”  It was an incandescent awakening that would change me irretrievably - and probably tragically.

            I am writing to you, dearest sister, because you alone amongst my friends had begged me so passionately to “just don’t go.”  Damn, do I now wish that I had heeded your wise counsel.  I was such a fool to enlist, but with the job market so grim and with the seductive way that they promote patriotism, I got suckered in.  Hell, these days the Superbowl is practically a glorified recruiting spectacle. 

THE SEA GYPSY TRIBE IDEALS

by Ray Jason          

          “Sailing away from it all” remains one of the most alluring fantasies in our modern world.  The idea of abandoning the misnamed “real world” and escaping to the South Seas on a sailing boat still intoxicates millions of people.  But it is not the fantasy of the sea gypsy life that entices me.  It is the reality of it.

            Far out on the Wide Waters, it is imperative to recognize things as they are rather than as you might wish them to be.  Delusions can swiftly become deadly.  The Sea has taught me this lesson so convincingly, that I now perceive it as part of my core being.  Fortunately, this lesson in caution has spilled over into my assessment of many other aspects of life.

            The result has been that I believe that grave prospects are looming just beyond the horizon for the Human Project.  But instead of just directing attention to these possible catastrophes, my mission has been to share my idea of a viable escape option for the disruptions ahead.  I call my plan The Sea Gypsy Tribe, and I discussed it thoroughly in my previous essay which is located about an inch below this one.

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