The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

Here is the dilemma, sons and daughters of the wild Sea.

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!"
--Jack Kerouac, "On the Road"

Reading this many years ago and I said "Me too" and took it as my central understanding of life.

And here is another quote, and this one is from a Tibetan Buddhist nun named Pema Chodron, and it goes:

Wandering in the world of desire involves looking for alternatives, seeking something to comfort us -- food, drink, people. The word desire encompasses that addiction quality, the way we grab for something because we want to find a way to make things okay. That quality comes from never having grown up. We still want to go home and be able to open the refrigerator and find it full of our favorite goodies; when the going gets tough, we want to yell "Mom!" But what we're doing as we progress along the path is leaving home and becoming homeless. Not wandering in the world of desire is about relating directly with how things are. Loneliness is not a problem. Loneliness is nothing to be solved. The same is true for any other experience we might have.

...and this too, not just this alone or this one book alone, but this whole idea-set, mind-way, of learning about peace and not-judging and not desiring, coolness, wisdom; stillness and mindfulness; this is terribly appealing to me too.

But are they separate paths? Is there room for the one in the other? Do the wise still burn? I do not want to be cold. (Wise-man: "There you go: but what happens when the cold comes to you? Do you run away in terror, and hide under security blankets of alcohol and warm bodies?)

(What else, then? Sit and dwell, cry, boo-hoo?)

(But not that either: To run or to dwell, I don't want to do either of those, no, no I don't.)

And is there any room for Bacchus in the Pantheon of the Wise? Because if not I don't think I'm interested.

But is your Bacchanaliad pure if you seek it out of fear of Februus?

Is that what I actually do?

Or: Am I attacking myself, Accuser My-own-mind, make me guilty for my Unenlightenment. There is wisdom in wine, and you can go ask Li Po if you don't believe me; though wisdom too in temperance; and a season for every thing and a time to every purpose under Heaven!