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.