For An Adventurer Who Died Too Young

What should one's life be?

Neat and orderly,
or messy and chaotic?

Quiet desperation,
even quieter compromise?
or daring thrills,
creative experiments?

Walking carefully along
looking down at gray sidewalks
to avoid crack or pebble?
or leaping from peak to peak
across gaping canyons
looking down
from dizzying heights?

No one should decide for another.
One can only live what one believes.
If you ask, we believe:

Life should NOT be
a methodical journey to the grave
with the goal being sure, safe arrival
in a well-preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
flute of champagne in hand,
screaming "What a ride!"