The Seven Gods of Fortune

Moby
I had an epiphany a few years ago at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I had yet to meet a celebrity as smart and as interesting as my friends.

In Japan, there is a ship called Takarabune where the Seven Gods of Fortune are depicted. Here, Ebisu, god of luck, Daikoku, god of wealth, Bishamonten, god of warriors, Benzaiten, goddess of knowledge, art and beauty, Fukurokuju, god of happiness and wealth, Hotei, the portly god of abundance and good health and Juroujin, the god of longevity talk and drink tea. They write poems, sometimes engaged in lengthy renga passing the time until the New Year.

It is said that on New Year's day, the Takarabune arrives at the dock and the Seven Lucky Gods will disembark from their ship and walk amongst men, giving those who are worthy the gifts with which they are allowed to bestow.

At the end of the New Year, the Seven Gods of Fortune return to their ship to pass the time away again until the following New Year.

Somewhere along the way, I've lost someone who is very, very special to me. When one says "best friend" then there is no question who it refers to in my life. I lost my best friend and then, on the day of a marriage of a common friend, we met up again. 2 years had passed and gone and we haven't heard from each other since then. It has been months since that time and we have caught up with lost time. The bond that we share is stronger than ever now with a renewed promise that this time, nothing will get in the way of our friendship. And this is something I will keep.

It's strange how every 2 years or so I connect very strongly to a new group of people who are moving in the same direction that I am now moving into. It's the strangeness of the way I live my life. Giving so much into something and then, after 2 years, I find myself exhausting all I can into it and then I want to make a radical change. 2 years will pass and I find myself joining a new group of people.

I don't want to live that way anymore. I'm very, very happy with the friends I've got now. The best friend I have lost and found again and the new group of friends whose common love for the art of poi dancing has put us together but we are all different enough to keep things interesting. And of course, there are the individuals who I keep in touch with, the ones I wish to keep.

The storm Milenyo hit and it hit us rather hard. Electricity was down and there was no access to the internet. The world seemed bleak to me; a sudden darkness just hung over the sky and everything was dreary. I got an invite by my best friend to go to his place and just hang out. We were joined by 2 other friends. We passed the time of dreariness together. So off I went to his place and spent the next 5 days there, just killing time. We watched DVDs and listened to music. We had food delivered and just sat around and waited while the city fixed itself. We talked and talked and hung out and just enjoyed each other's company. There was nothing else in our minds but the moment and the sharing and the comfort and security that each one's presence gave to each other.

There was nothing to do on Monday and we brought it to its close on Tuesday morning when the city was fixed and there was a life to return to. One by one, as each one's schedule began to unfold, we left the comforts of that room. I was the first to go with the earliest start of the day.

I know I will find myself back in that room again, surrounded once again by their company. On another day, I will have a lively one-on-one talk with another of my friends. A different time will call upon a big party of my friends, the poi dancers. And other times, I will be with my family. But I want to be forever on these boats and no more. I don't want this to change. This is my last circle of friends.

I like it here.