Hem on Life

I'm reading Hemingway again. What is it about those simple sentences that make me want to leave my life right now and go live a dream? I close each of his stories with a sense of guilt for not living an adventurous lifestyle like he describes. He did it all and lived every day to its fullest.

War stories. Bullfights in Spain. Safaris in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. Fishing in Cuba. Sipping wine on the terraces of Paris and hanging out with Fitzgerald and Stein. Writing.

I'm reading The Dangerous Summer in preparation for my trip to Spain. If I have time I'll also read Death in the Afternoon. Both of which chronicle his experiences with la corrida in Spain. Hemingway loved bullfighting and experienced it rightly, as an art not a sport. Hopefully I'll learn enough over the next two weeks to fully appreciate it when I experience it first hand next month.

I'm expecting a cathartic experience on my trip. I need some time away from life to gather my thoughts and re-examine this path I'm on. I don't want to waste away at my desk, wishing I was living it up. I'm going to do what I want and not settle for less. I know I say this often, but I'm adamant opposed to living a boring life. Instead, I'm going to take Hemingway's lead and fill my life with adventures and stories.