The Right Time

I finally sat down with a book I've been meaning to read for about three years now.

Leonard Cohen's Book of Longing has been on my radar since it came out, but there was always some reason why I didn't buy it: I was broke, I had to spend the money on other books, I couldn't find it, I was broke, etc. Well, last night, I finally said "fuck it, just do it...the visa bill will take care of itself (won't it?)."

I'm glad I waited until now for two reflexive reasons: 1) the poignancy might have been lost if I had read this book at a different time in my life; and 2) I've reached a crossroads again in my life, and this book has given me food for thought.

I could have simply enjoyed this book at any other time, but having read it now, when I am experiencing so much change, both professionally and personally, Cohen's words seem to be written specifically for some parts of my metamorphosis. They are his words for his experiences, but I feel I can claim those words for my own experiences; they aren't universal writings, and many can't relate, but I see a depth, I see him writing what I want to express, which allows me to legitimately claim them as part of my experience.

Read this book if you want (and you haven't already), but experience this book if you can.