"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."

--Alvin Toffler

Alvin Toffler is a futurist, I just looked him up. My first urge was "I want to be a futurist" and then I realized

I have far too much to unlearn, first. I have changed so much in recent and further years, and am finally learning that my scars are not the lessons that I ever want to impinge onto (yes I realize that this is gramatically weird) ither people.

The lessons that have sprung from those scars, however, after the stress and cynicism and manipulation and guilt is past -- one day I will write them down in such a way that even I would have listened, then.

Steven and I used to say it to each other once a week at least, until we didn't even have to say it aloud anymore.

When you stop learning is when you die. When you stop wanting to learn, is when you should die. How many of my brightest and dearest know that lesson to their very core? All of them.

I've been dealing with death at work today, one of my favourite people in the universe's uncle discovered his cancer last week -- and died last night.

(there's nothing like death to put my other recent stresses into perspective, but how I wish it were neither the case nor required...)

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...and then the day got out from under me and I spent it running.

All that to say that I learned a lot about people and support and our effects on each other, about love and friendship and learning and what it means to grow, really grow.

I spent an hour with Steven and then another with Val on Sunday, in a bar, over a beer, talking about anything.

Between them and the way Dave snuck me into an impenetrable arm-lock during today's Morning Cuddles, that burning spot of warmth is stuck in my sternum again.

My solar plexus is burning with the white-hot strength of a thousand suns.

Even though all the Canada Film Festival shows that I wanted to see are sold out, even though I miss Stacy already and WANT HER HUGS RIGHT NOW even though people have asked me difficult questions and I have a migraine.

Fuck that shit.

I am thrilled to be breathing the same atmosphere as some of the people that I have had the fortune to encounter.

I am even more thrilled to learn how much we are all capable of learning.

I am speaking in circles again, and late for a very important date.

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