Great Conversations

A warm night, under a clear, starlit sky and over cool glasses of brew. In our life full of wasted concern on trivial things, routine work and inane conversations, three long-lost friends talked about things shared only by souls of differing lives but of similar principles. The subject didn't matter, nor gravity--- it was at times scholarly, academic, genial, philosophical, argumentative, gossipy and even dirty brought about by euphoria in borderline intoxication; but a common theme runs: the meaning of existence. Fate it seems have scattered us like dust, separating us from things dear and from lives most precious--- but not that night--- it was a night where we saw how boys became men in the course of life's numerous defining moments--- how one of us stared at death and said "Is this it? Is this all?" and strengthened his will to live,a life with meaning and dignity most of us may not appreciate. Life in its very essence, is a beautiful struggle, and those conversations we may have to thank for someday.
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It is surprising how words may heal a man. Unknown to us, the process of talking things out gave concrete pictures to emotional baggages long hidden inside the abstractness of the subconscious. Our culture taught us to be tough, to be less open, to ignore pain and forget everything that hurts us the most. Well I'm not too big on holding back and all those bulls#*t, life is too short for hypocrisy--- never did good to me holding back anything anyway. So unknown to my friends, I conducted(manipulated may be the word)an experiment of opening life's faucet to full(thank God for alcohol). I realized then that these two are greater men than I am. I am honored to be their friend.
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So now I'm here, going back to life's routine. I see the world as if I've only seen them for the first time--- and it's a good thing. I used to think I have learned everything I need to learn and experienced everything that is worth living in this world; now I know there is so much more out there. Everytime I see something meaningless, like people ignoring those who love them most or chasing money instead of their dreams, I try to remember those conversations: souls talking about youth, love and an eternity of ideas.