footy in the eternal city

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either we stop or not hey..



this undersized childish man (who is me but im just talking in third person for effect so that u can think that im a cool writer + stuff but in truth its probably just that i drank too much the night before) so where was i, yes so this undersized childlike man stands up on his chair + demands to be heard over the competing voices + insists that he will not be argued down on this point. he proclaims to the bar..



“we do not stop”



let me give u some context:



now he (me) has just made his way thru the city of a million ridiculously big churches to find the irish pub that has lots of touring aussies crowded into the side bar to watch mal the referee, nathan merritt + mitchell pearce kill what potentially could have been a good game + end the 7 year blues state of origin drought. but no. grrr



now he is surrounded by a most wonderous crowd of characters including, anthony + sue (mad bunny supporters), kyle (whom I had a footy card of his bunny playing dad), a labor-disliking hillsong friendly alpha male who now travels the world as a public speaker, + father christopher + father luke, priests who have just walked in off the street to have a quiet peaceful meal to get away from the stresses of vatican meetings – quite a crowd!



now believe what u want.. but.. what is true is more important yeah?



i do believe in judgement + i do believe in heaven + hell.. but.. my ideas of heaven + hell might be different to either 1) what u believe or 2) what u might not believe but have heard others talk about say in a church for example.



let me explain..



i don’t hope + believe that certain ppl go to heaven + certain ppl go to hell. whats more i personally don’t understand how anyone could get through a day let alone a life believing that.. honestly.. how can u live knowing that some ppl will eternally be tormented (it explains messiah complexes at least!). that idea is horrid to me + i see no hope in it + i don’t believe it.



i do like, hope + believe that all the shit in me, u + the world goes to hell + is burnt up. all our wrong beliefs, all the hurtful things done, all our wrong habits, thoughts + actions, all injustice, all pain, all guilt, all shame.. gone. deleted. burnt. no more.



i like, hope + believe that heaven is all the good in me, u + the world. all the connectedness, smiles, hugs, laughter, orgasms, peace, fairness, joy + love. goodness can’t die. it is here, it is true + it must survive. it always stubbornly finds a way.



i believe that heaven + hell are now. the fight is on. + u are a part of it. + there are moments of ignorance just like there are moments of awareness. we all must play our part + we all contribute just like we all detract. our detractions will stop eventually. i hope we choose to stop them. i hope we all live, long for deep in our guts, wrestle + sing for this goodness to invade the spaces where shit manifests + controls.



lauren just read me a quote from her book that she is reading that goes like this.. “our passions require from us a betrayal of our former state.”



ladies + gentlemen.. “we do not stop”





somewhere on the way, walking back home i was asked to jam out a solo with the most crazy quirkiest latin street funk band + as i played it out to the late evening daylight sky, the bad news of the blues losing was ok this time because i had the most absolute best time with some amazing new friends.. + speaking of not stopping.. i also heard the good news that australia were given its prime minister back! hallelujah

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