Words easily touch me, and I can oooh and ahhh over a beautiful passage of fiction for days. However, I’ve never been able to feel touched in the same way by quotes, perhaps it’s the fear of cliches, but the usual inspirational type quotes evoke in me sarcasm instead of emotion….until now. Coming across the following quote, by American poet Charles Bukowski, was the best thing that could happen to my morning. For the first time since coming back from Europe, I feel inspired, truly inspired.
“If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery–isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.”
– Charles Bukowski, Factorium
Musings of a Leaf 