the diesel mechanic brought machines back to life for a living

Now, he was dying

all of his philosophies were designed to protect

what he loved, from the world

Now, he was leaving it

with peace

with no grease on his face

with no hate in his heart

with no possessions to hold onto

In life, he held onto a few good things, like tools

and tried to work with people

the way he worked on machines

It can be frustrating, when a human being says “no”

when life is unfair

Maybe, it makes sense to retreat—to work on machines

they don’t plot and scheme

and if you’ve worked on them, long enough, their problems are predictable

Making yourself a sacrifice, won’t win you favor

and if you are trying to win favor, you are a slave

Bitterness, will poison you

It’s best to love because you can

Give, and not expect anything back

If you receive from someone, it’s a joy—

life saying, “Come out into the sunshine.”

It’s easy to feel like you are dying alone

but it’s not true

In life, you face merciless hate

you face love with open eyes

whatever you face…

you can smile, instead of cry

this world is a fucked-up place

and you don’t have to be

Keep your eyes open, as long as you can

and close them, when you are ready.