There's a place called the Temple . . an installation where people write things down, or leave keepsakes behind, or just sit and absorb. It's an emotional place. Some write to people who have died, or people they want to forgive. They write their hopes for the future and, in my case, their goodbyes.
On Saturday, the Man is burned. It's an exciting event. Tens of thousands of people surround the Man, playing music, drinking champagne, smiling and shouting. Watching eagerly for the first firework to go off.
Fireworks started to explode from the base, and continued as flames slowly climbed the Man's legs. Rockets continued to fly from the Man -- everyone was amazed at how long it lasted. As the fire grew larger and hotter, dust devils spun through the crowd.
Ash floated around us, and we hugged each other. It was a nice moment.
After the burn, Meredith and I went to the Temple. We sat and talked about some good things, and some heavy things.
She said, "Your soul is super good."
I said, "Thanks, dude."
What a great night, though . . I so rarely get to share real moments with my friends. Times when you actually feel connected to the people around you. It's special when that happens.
On Sunday night they burn the Temple. I wanted to leave before then, but Joshua told me she almost missed it her first year but her friends wouldn't let her. They offered to buy her a new plane ticket -- they told her she had to stay, and she's so happy they did. I'm glad she convinced me to stay, too.
There's a very different feeling to the Temple burn -- people simply watch and reflect. They stay quiet -- I want to say it's a "moving" experience, but it's almost the opposite. It's a calming experience . . . like the rest of the week was moving, and this is the time when it comes together peacefully.
Someone had lanterns with small candles in the base and bags to collect the hot air. They would light the candles and pass the lanterns to the sky where they would float away. They got higher and higher and disappeared over the mountains. They were beautiful.
