Undescribable--won't try

Walking It Off:

A Veteran's Chronicle of War and Wilderness

by Doug Peacock

I want to toss off a joke, I am not worthy! to read this book. It wouldn't be funny but it would be true. It can't be read quickly, or lightly, without a lot of pain. He writes of things  which no one should have to speak. His stories of war and genocide would be bearable if I could read it as a history that will never repeat....

It's repeating, right here, right now. Syria. Myanmar. South Sudan.

But the war experiences are only a tiny fraction of the whole of this, although they may be the cause of it all. Dunno. He writes about Ed Abbey, his travels, his losses and his furious struggle to make sense of it all. And he writes so well that I didn't want to include quotes for fear I might be taking them out of context and missing the point of it all. Like this,

Ed knew that the best wisdom came directly from the earth; it runs right up our roots into the spirit. Walk on. The feet will inform the soul.

And,

Death was not the enemy of life, I thought, the foe was fear of capturing the truth, fear of true introspection. I had learned that from Ed and tonight the instruction returned with humbling veracity. At the end you had to release, let go of anger, all grasping and attachment, even desire.

Sometimes he says things, that make no sense. But tickle your mind.
Like a Zen Koan.

...sleep well, my old friend. I will dream you in the little death of winter.