Blowing on the Embers

Several years ago, disappointed by travelling solo, I sent this missive out into the universe. My message in a bottle. Hoping, not so secretly, that the stars would align hurling little ol' me into a once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind. Ripping me from my comfort zone into the white hot intensity of connecting a most singular vitality pulsing with shared energy yet unexplored.

Elusive? Yes. Impossible? Hell no. It just wasn't meant to be. Not then.

Journeys, adventures, discoveries inspire me. I have little baggage, but my suitcases are always packed. Join me!

Raised in Kentucky’s rolling bluegrass, college and career in Boston and NYC, I relocated a few summers ago to coastal Maine, a delightful oasis between visits and travels away.

Multi-faceted with a passion for life and a penchant for travel to hidden gems around the globe, I enjoy spirited discussions, covered bridges, indigo mountains, films, jazz, blues, classic rock and country from my Oklahoma days sliding not too gracefully across the slickest of floors sprinkled with corn meal and soot.

You have lived large and not so; come of age in the psychedelic 60s when all things were possible; matured in the sophisticated city humbled by finding out that they are not; and now appreciate the exhilaration of life off the beaten path - a tapestry of experiences, enriched sensibilities.

Let's walk quietly at dawn or dusk or in night’s velvety dark, discover out-of-the way restaurants and hidden delights, explore tree-lined country paths near and far, dance in cities pulsing with energy, whisper in the shadow of ancient places hiding mysteries of time past. Trips to anywhere or nowhere. Come with me, be my co-traveler, treasured friend, convivant.

Are you my gentle man with utmost integrity and compassion paradoxically matched by a sense of the absurd and a hint of the bad boy? Are you not so jaded as to still be awed by surprises and impassioned by new discoveries? Like me, you want that 'je ne sais quoi' one-on-one. Rock our worlds. Let's shake our unbelieving souls by the roots. Throw traditions to the wind jolting us into that 'aha' moment ... intoxicating, electric, spontaneous, vibrant.

I look forward to our connection, the sound of your laughter, the feel of your arms wrapped around me, sharing your pleasures and knowing what makes you smile ... or not. But first, the spark! Imagine the possibilities. I am.

The spark evident at the onset. Ignited upon receipt of his initial correspondence. Innocent, really. Surprising me delightfully. We have known each other since childhood. Not seen each other in years. A lifetime, really. Several if you count the multiple chapters we have each pursued.

Me. In Maine at the threshold of my meanderings in this my 60th year toward the quest, the gold chalice, of moving beyond my comfort zone. Away from the familiar. Into a brave new world. Envisioning the vast opportunities barely beyond my reach. The lure of travel to exotic and emerging cultures. Of pushing my shirtsleeves over my elbows and immersing myself in the wonders of this expansive world we live in. Shaking things up. My lifestyle. My dreams. Tweaks requisite to be transported from the familiar to the extraordinary.

Him. Possessing life passively. From the outside. Disembodied. Bound unerringly and admirably by loyalty and commitment. Faithful. Settled. Sharing the dreams of his childhood friend adoringly. Vicariously. The intensity of his passion extending outward from the very essence of his being. Inspired, nonetheless, by seeds germinated deep within my being propelling me into the unknown. He understood. Got me. My darling friend. His restlessness born uneasily from an innate lust for life. Intertwined on his DNA. A wilderness explored with great vitality, but left to wither. Memories of adventures.

Us. Telepathic. Our connection. Poignant. Profound. Real. Chaste. Inextricably linked from commonalities of coming of age at a similar time, in the same scholarly community hurled into a future undefined.

We are survivors. Each possessing an immaculate sense of self. The wisdom brought into existence from successfully circumnavigating those rocks that littered our trails. The profound blessings bestowed upon us independently.

There is much to explore with my adored convivant. Infinite possibilities. The spark smolders unrequited. For now. Soon to be ignited into pyrotechnics that will ebb and flow with the rhythm of a partnership. Fanned, fueled, by our constant attention to keeping the embers alive. To altering the playbook. Consummate teammates. Co-conspirators extraordinaire. Our trajectory flourishing brilliant by our mutual devotion.

Cheers to an unexpected, much cherished journey. Igniting again and again. Love burning vibrantly ... forever and a day. Are you out there? The universe beckons.