Near-Death Scrapes And La Anarquista
Before you admonish me...this is not the first time, and I'll wager not the last.
In fact I've been collecting, and maybe I exaggerate when I say near-death. But never-the-less, there was that "waterfall in Indonesia experience", the "5-times rolling car outside of Roma". And now I have another lucky-to-be-alive moment. And yes call me foolish, I am, and I do toy with the line. But this is what it is to live, to embrace life and all of it, to take risks. To be exhilarated, to live in
the swoon of experience. This time I was bouldering in Cordoba next to Rio Quilpo. There was a scrub-filled cliff above me that began beckoning, with a beautiful tree at its edge. So I scaled it, and about 2 metres from the top, a rock shifted about the size of my head. It came straight towards me and hit me in the front, not badly, but enough. As I was getting my breath back, I saw another begin to move, this one weighing more than me. I saw I couldn't move in time before it came my way, so I pressed myself against the rockface, hoping it would roll over me. It worked, I came out with hits and bruises on my shoulder and hip, but nothing more. I finished the climb, terrified that more rocks would follow, very aware that what had just happened could have been very different. I stood there watching sunset, clinging to the tree grateful, so bloody grateful. And why am I telling you? I don't want to inspire you to go will-nilly rock-climbing no, nor do I want you to be worried. But I do want to provoke the discussion. The idea of living wild, free, undulated, intuitive...of taking it all in. I learnt a little while ago not to simply ask for just 'good' or 'safe' or 'prosperous' experiences. These lines are so arbitrary anyway. But I learnt I could love and move in a way that meant I never had to have regrets, if I always learnt to love what came my way. And that was the real challenge. How to love the pain of life. So what I wanted to share with you, was that those boulders broke open my heart, broke open my gratitude, made my heart rush, made me present. They gave me more than bruises. Recently I've noticed the "safe-conversation" has been opening up. There is a broader discussion about living, you know, really living, not just living safe. And even if all pain comes, all hell, all heartbreak, because for sure we will have these in our lives. You can al least say of me, that I swallowed the river whole, and I tried my very best to love it all. I am back in Buenos Aires now, getting ready to move on to Europe. Recording another track, selling the last of the CDs I brought with me and feeling melancholy to leave the wonderful friends I have made here. I recently performed Desenfrenada (meaning: Unrestrained) at Casa Picaporte, a Feather Collector work foregrounding and celebrating the act of protesting around the world. Thinking much of the state that Australia is in, the new draconian laws that are being passed. But...proud of us and our impetus to stand up, to express ourselves, especially the recent support for refugees. I am a very proud Australian, and I like saying that. Thanks for joining me in this months update edition. Hours after the cliff-climbing experience, me and my friend Eric Boslok (also an awesome photographer) made a recording of 'La Anarquista,' there is a link below if you are keen for listens. xxx with warmth and heart and an passion to live!
