I am in England and go for a walk with the father of a friend on mine (AH). He has the appearance and demeanor of the perfect older English gentleman. It turns out we have a great deal in common and we have a long and very interesting conversation. (We talk about topics relating to transpersonal psychology, spirituality, nature spirits, Jung, Ken Wilber and more.)
This older gentleman is the perfect gentleman and a radical fool. He is, in some ways, my ideal as it has been since my teens. On the outside, he is what society expects of a respectable person and good citizen. On the inside, radical and completely nonconforming. It’s what I was on solid course to become, and the dark night of the soul put a (temporary?) stop to. I am still respectable in my appearance and demeanor, but some mainstream identities were shot down due to illness.
The dream is a reminder that this image – of respectability combined with a radical orientation – is still very much alive in me. It may be good for me to look more at it. And if I move more fully in that direction again, to do so with more freedom and ease around it.
Day residue: I recently came back from London which may be why the English theme came up.
Note: When I call him a radical fool, it’s in the best possible sense. It’s just weird in terms of mainstream views. Not according to what many perceive as more real. The phrase came to mind also since it’s in the Starlight Scene lyrics by Yello.