aureliusj:

Excerpt written on Dec. 31, 2011, from an yet unedited, unnamed and unpublished zine. Unfortunately this particular passage is all the more meaningful as per a recent tragedy. 

The price of existence is injustice. Mere consciousness does not pay for it, and mercy is not affordable. I know I am not invincible and I hear death echoed in the laughter of my friends. But pain and anguish are sewn with the thread of attachment. Attachment to possessions, to emotions, to belief systems and to life itself. Who fears their death-bed? I can say that I do not. In fact, I am racing towards it. With the vigor of a boy searching for his first kiss and the discipline of an ascetic on the path to enlightenment, I will arrive exhausted to the core, having experienced all that I can on this earth, with an appetence to taste the beyond. You came into your life against all odds, against all the laws of nature that would work against it, and god detests you for that. Every day he puts in his best efforts to get you to give up, call it quits, take yourself out of existence like was intended. But here I am, my spite for god stronger than his efforts to undo me, so I continue to exist out of pure rebellion. Against chance, chaos, evil, death, infinity and even myself at times… I will stay until I no longer have a say in the matter. And then, I will not rest in peace, rather, I will wrest in peace. Taking for myself in death as I did in life. It is not an easy task to overcome your own ego, to transcend the prisons that material desires construct around you, but one thing is sure: your time will come on its own, just as mine, and it will be glorious.

Wrest In Peace, Richard S. Gimbel II

Ive met fewer people more vibrant and fully immersed in the art of living than Richie. He found strength and comfort in diversity and never accepted no as a definite answer-anyone could and would be won over. His mark on every community he came in contact with will not fade because of this tragedy, the lessons he taught were those of love, patience and devotion for the things and people that you believe in. But most importantly to never doubt your self worth and what you’re capable of.  ”Ima do me ‘till Im pregnant with me!”

Ress in Paradise Richard