I am sorry my Friends,

but life is not to be lived quietly.

If you are not shaking, and you voice is not broken, from screaming an yelling at the Congress,

when they called you in for questioning - but they had to drag you out,

for screaming - about the disgrace of insider trading, and corruption.

Because you couldn't keep yourself from being a bright dying star,

out of the potential they held to inspire and move, and educate generations.

If you aren't standing at the Diag, making the moron that was just there shaking with anger,

because you took his microphone, and you started quoting Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali,

Because it is just enough of evil for that particular day,

and you would, save the sunset by bringing in the Saints.

And if you never painted you car pink, especially the interior, because the Pepto Bismol didn't work,

and you had nowhere to go and noting to eat, but forward and a bag of stale old chips.

Because you couldn't put the books down,

for all the Love and Wisdom in there.

Why Henry went into the woods at Walden,

and what happened to Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis,

and how beautifully Will Durant opened his Story to Philosophy,

"Grow strong, my comrade … that you may stand

Unshaken when I fall; that I may know

The shattered fragments of my song will come

At last to finer melody in you;

That I may tell my heart that you begin

Where passing I leave off, and fathom more."

My Friends,

we are not to live quiet little lives,

because we only get one each.

And the way to turn the volume up,

is to inherit wisdom from all the great beings,

at all cost at any cost,

because without their light we can't tell where we are going.

Get you audio books ready,

and listen, just learn,

listen to all those lives.

All those great beings,

are sharing lifetimes of wisdom with you.

Endure.

Listen.

Teach.

Move Mountains.

Make History.