“I stay because I am not the only one who has felt like this. I stay because I want to fall in love. I stay because there are countless nights ahead of my friends and I laughing until our sides ache. I stay because I haven’t danced at enough concerts. I stay because my family and I still have stories to write. I stay because my voice has thousands of songs left to sing. I stay because I need to feel the warmth of summer again and again. I stay because I don’t want life to move ahead without me. I stay because I am supposed to be here. And most of all, I stay for the reasons that I have yet to discover, knowing that I move closer to them with every breath.”
“I stay because I am not the only one who has felt like this. I stay because I want to fall in love. I stay because there are countless nights ahead of my friends and I laughing until our sides ache. I stay because I haven’t danced at enough concerts. I stay because my family and I still have stories to write. I stay because my voice has thousands of songs left to sing. I stay because I need to feel the warmth of summer again and again. I stay because I don’t want life to move ahead without me. I stay because I am supposed to be here. And most of all, I stay for the reasons that I have yet to discover, knowing that I move closer to them with every breath.”
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.
