There are some people who live larger than life. Their spirits are too grand for this world to hold, and as a result, they are taken from us far too young.
I knew such a man and had the privilege of becoming friends with him over the last few years. He had a heart of gold, as they say, and wherever he walked you could feel his jovial presence. He really cared, and while that is a massive gift, there is also a shadow to this caring.
He lived with an open heart. Out of his heart, love flowed to whoever was near to receive it, without discrimination. But open hearts allow a two-way flow - while love leaves, there is room for other forces to enter.
I have written at length about mental health issues plaguing our society. I have done my best through this platform to draw attention to them. But I have recently decided that the “mental health” crisis in America is a miscategorization that massively misses the core problem.
I believe we are currently living through a collective soul crisis.
There are those who walk this earth and feel everything. Their open hearts absorb the collective shadow that is with us all as we navigate unprecedented times. The darkness overwhelms them and they cannot withstand its brute force.
With so many walking unconsciously through their days, in many ways, these empaths take on the role of feeling for us all. Maybe you are one of them, feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders.
I lost one such friend this week. He was a kind and caring man. I believe that the year of isolation and the lack of work through which he derived so much meaning was too much for him. His life’s work was literally to bring people together to celebrate life through joyful music. When the music stopped, something in him stopped too.
This world has lost another shining beacon.
I will miss him dearly, my heart breaks for those who were closest to him, but I believe that he is at peace.
Hug your friends this week. Tell them that you love them. Forget about the little melodramas that we all create daily to keep our minds occupied.
We are all here for a flash and then it is over, and it’s easy to forget, but critical to appreciate that truth.
New Episode: Identity Politics and Manhood with Aaron Alexander, host of the Align Podcast
“I think it was actually incredibly healthy, but it takes a very evolved mature perception of the human experience to get to the point where you can start to be the first to kind of poke fun at yourself and not take it personally.”
In this episode, Aaron shares his journey from weight lifting fanatic to author and holistic health coach, while poking fun at self-identification along the way. We wax about identity politics and the challenges of being a man in today’s world.
What I’m Reading
Ideas
Moore’s Law For Everything, Sam Altman
Why Beauty Matters (Documentary by Roger Scruton)
Markets
The World After Capital by Albert Wenger in 64 Tweets
Metaverse, NFTs, and Digital Collectibles
Climate and Crypto, Albert Wenger, Partner @ USV
NYC Man Sells Far for $85, cashing in on NFT Craze, NY Post
Crypto
Yearn Finance Launches 1-Click Yield Farming
Summary of the Terra ($LUNA) Ecosystem
A Look Into DeFi Liquidations, Igor Igamberdlev @ The Block
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