February 21st, 1971
The past two days have been euphoric. Mentally it seems as if I’ve been so turned on. Winter died suddenly– and surprise! It’s summer. Almost overnight. My ride is nearly over– I see the machinery slowing, calming, and stopping. Somehow I got on the ride last fall– I was destined to– it was one hell of a trip. God, I am so totally happy right now.
Take my hand… I’m a stranger in paradise.
Right now I am at the corner of 17th and Penn. Ave. (one block from that white house) in a taxi on my way to the airport to see a person I love in St. Louis. Today is Lennie's birthday. Tomorrow is mine. I’m crazy.
(the cabbie is cussing…)
I decided to go see her 15 minutes ago. Here I go.
I just had an interesting thought– or rather, just read one. I’m reading Erich Fromm’s book, The Art of Loving. He states that, in the known living universe, what distinguishes man from everything else is quite simply man’s personal identity as being distinctive. We disassociate ourselves from everything else.
Salvation must then be that realization that we are not distinctive when we see ourselves as a part of the whole.
I am on the plane now. Looking out the window all I can see is the light on the end of the wing.
Yesterday at work Jimmy told me that he loved me.
And here I am being bounced through the atmosphere in a dirty pair of blue jeans, a work shirt and a 1930 coat I got in Oklahoma City. I am very very very content.
And it shall be all right…..
Right on, God!
“Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself”
That is what is distinctive about man’s existence in relationship to the universe.
I am due to get saved.
MR. GOODBAR SAYS: GO GET SAVED!